New-York tribune., 1920-04-19


sortium, presuma bly, to investigate con-
ditions on the spot and to conclude
the consortium negotiations. But he
will find those conditions unfavorable
for satisfactory results.
There are three reasons why the
consortium has made so little progress
First, the Japanese have insisted on
the exclusion from its scope of Man
churia and Inner Mongolia, where their
interests are most heavily represented
Second, the Chinese in power have OBJ
structed it at every step. Third, the
foreign governments have failed 70 take
vigorous enough action or to unite on
the declarations of a new Far Eastern
policy which will inspire confidence
among Chinese.
To grant the japanese demand is to
negate the consortium from its very
beginning. If Japan can obtain the
exemption of Manchuria and inner
Mongolia then Britain will insist on
the exemption of it's sphere of in
fuence in the Yangstse Valley and
France on the exemption OF it's sphere
of influence in southern and southwest
ern China. THAI would leave China en-
actly where it has been for the last
twenty years, plus the added restric-
tion of it's sovereignty in submi ttng
to financial trusteeship. Naturally
Japan's interest lies in maintaining
the status quo, from which it alone
profits. So long as the pro-Japanese
party is in control in Pesing, Japan en-
push further its penetration. Unless,
therefore, America, Britain and France
can bring enough pressure to bear on
Japan through other channels to yield
there is no hope for the consortium
and all that it implies for betterment
is in the renewal of the Anglo
Japanese alliance, which can be re-
nounced or renewed this summer
Whether Britain will use it and
whether America can and will press it
to use it remains to be seen.
Opposed by Official Chinese
The official Chinese naturally are OBJ
structing the consortum because the
consortium means their suicide 1t
shuts off the stream of wealth that is
enriching them. And the four powers
have done little to make them yield
They can do much They can make
them Weld or withhold all individual
loans of any kind. The Peking govern
ment is being kept alive now only by
the loans it is contracting from indvid-
ual groups of various natiOnalites In
stead of holding over its head the
threat of starvation and using the
threat if necessary, the four powers
have allowed their nationals to make
advances in exchange for various petty
contracts, thereby defeating their own
diplomatic ends and further prolonging
the rule Of government which it is
agreed must go, both for the benefit of
China and the foreign powers. Those
ends cannot be attained unless the
tive action to restrain private finan-
cial interests.
Last and most important, America,
Britain, France and Japan have failed
TO make and to announce the new
formulation of Far Eastern policy, by
which alone SO drastic step as tinan-
cial trusteeship over China can be JUS
tilted and by which alone the necessary
Chinese confidence can be won. There
is in the heart of every Chinese, how
ever liberal and however friendly to
the West, profound skepticsm of
Western motives. Such Chinese see in
the consortium only a further abridge-
ment of China's sovereignty for the
selfish purposes Of the nations that
have in the past fattened on Chna's
groundless. The danger of con-
sortium or any other foreign control
over Chinas internal affairs need not
be underestimated. 1t can be the
foundation for China's regenera-
ton or it can be long step
toward an international protectorate,
subsequent partition and ultimate
world conflict. All depends on the
motive.
GUARANTEES of motive must be given.
There must be fiat and formal renun-
Citations of the spheres of influence,
public pledges not to seek more con-
cessions and alterations of territory,
definite assurances Of the control in
volved in the consortium-a compre-
hensive, concrete statement Of new
Western and Japanese policy toward
China. There must be a definite, clean
break with the diplomacy of the past.
More than verbal token must be given
that China is no longer regarded as a
field for exploitation, a spoils ground
for stronger nations.
s5OO,oOO, 900 Required
1t is no light undertaking that is
proposed. 1t will be the most gigantic
enterprise in the history
of the world. 1t will be league of
nations without the phrases. And it
will cost money-no less than $300,000,- (
900, and probably s5OO,O00,OOO before
the end.and it will need foreign or
ganization and foreign attention.
Whether the condition of Europe war
rants so great an outlay of money in
China and so great a concentration of
energy and attention on China is an
other question. That, too, can only be
decided by international conference.
But whatever decision is taken must
be taken in full view of it's momentous-
ness. The time has gone for halfway
measures or for temporizings. China
has slid to a dangerous pitch in these
years since 1914. And the next two or
three years will be critical of its fate.
Either the stronger nations must throw
up a dixie of protection around China
while it goes through the inevitable
organization of transition to mod
ern state or it will become virtual
Japanese protectorate and another Bal
kans. Il Balkans on a vast continental
scale. If q long enough view is taken
it is doubtful whether even Europe,
with all it's perils, is of greater impor-
tance than China. 1t is doubtful
whether it will be any gain to concen-
trate money and energy on Europe
while leaving Far Eastern events to
take their DreSent sinister course with