Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1920-03-26
CHINESE STATESMAN
WARNS OF AUT0CRACY
DR.. Yang, Yale Graduate, Predicts
Trouble Unless America Upholds
Celestial Democracy
lRy Ioscpi1 Timmonsl

(By Joseph Timmons)
Shanghai, March 14.-'If America
does not uphold democracy abroad
the day will come when she will have
to fight autocracy on her own shores
If a strong military bureaucracy gets
control of China, eventually America
will have to defend herself against at
tact by that power.
This is the prediction made to me
in an interview today by DR.. c. T..
Wang, one of the Chinese represent
atives at the peace conference.
DR.. Wang has just returned from
Paris by ship through the Suez Canal
.Ic was given a great reception and
aas addressed meeting after meeting
of students and their elders who have
been aroused to high pitch by his
pleas for unity in opposition to for
eign aggression against the integrity
of China. The Picking government is
urging him to come to Picking and
help to devise ways to restore amity
between north and south.
This clean-cut, eloquent young va
lie graduate has become one of the
new factors in Chinese affairs. He is
keen, masterful and his integrity and
patriotism are unQuestoned. He is a
thorn in the side of Japan, and yet he
is moderate and diplomatic, not by
any means a fire brand.
DR.. Wang reasons in this manner:
Japan is a military autocracy, abb
|solutely governed by small clique of
militarists. There can be no success
full denial of that, Her ambitions are
imperialistic and those ambitions con
troll her international policy.
China is definitely committed to
democratic government. The spirit of
her people is pacifist, nonmilitarist,
We want to maintain united China
and develop efficient self-government
We MANAGE no people any where.
Surely there can be no question
as to which nation should have the
sympathy and support Of the United
States in diplomacy
America was the first nation to
recognize the republic Of china, in
1913. Before that, since 1900, she
had been upholding the doctrine
formulated By John Hay, the open
door policy to which all the Western
powers assented. During the WORLD
war chain of circumstances has prac
tically closed the door. -.
1.-The action of the American Sem
ate in taking exception to the de-
cision of the Versailles conference as
to the disposition of the German right
in Shantung may be compared to a
foot thrust between q closoing door
and the door frame. My hope is that
America will neither withdraw that
foot nor permit it to be crushed.
China wants free intercourse with
all nations, and the temper of her
people is now thoroughly aroused
against being bottled in by some one
power" .,
asked Dr.. Wang what he thought
should be China's reply to Japan's pro
posal for direct negotiations over
Shantung. He replied: Il do not think
it wise fer litigants to withdraw a
case without the consent and knowl-
edge of the court.
China has not agreed to the Shan
tung. decision of the peace conference
Therefore, we contend cur case goes
automatically to the league of nations
A judgement has been handed down
against us and our case is on appeal
to the higher court.
"It may be wise for China to ap-
point a commission to hear what ia
pan demands as to Shantung, but ev-
cry step of the proceedings must be
known to the Western powers. There
must be no secret negotiations be-
tween Japan and the militarists of
the Pe;;ing clique. If Japan has fair
and just proposals to make they can
stand the light of day"