New-York tribune., 1921-11-28
Chinese Resent
ForeignControl
OF COnsOrtiun1
Country Needs Money, but
Will Not Borrow Abroad
Unless Loans Are Unre-
stricted, Asserts Writer
Public Opinion Insistent
International Railway Pool
Also Regarded as Viola
ton of Root Resolution
BY K. P. Wang

Associate Editor of the "Shu7, Pao." Of
Shanghai
WASHINGTON. Nov. 27.-In spite of
denials from the conference headquar-
tors the fact remains that certain
spokesman of certain delegation did
tell the press representatives here in
Washington last week in one of those
delegation-p press conferences that China.
through her recognition of the four
Root resolutions, had accepted the prin-
ciple of the new international con-
sortium and the idea of internationa!
pooling of China's railways Leaving
aside the question of proprjety and
purpose of such diplomatic "feeler,"
which was a remnant CT tactics of the
old school of diplomacy, it Is worth
while to consider why China, including
both. her people and her government,
are opposed to the consortium plan and
international control OF Chinas rail-
ways
China refuses to accept the con-
sortium plan because it embodies the
idea of monopoly of all kinds of loans
to China, including economic and in
dustrial loans, because it aims at the
nternationalization of China's system
and because it VIII not include Man
3.
All these features directly encroach
upon China's sovereign rights, and in
directly impair the chance for China's
self development. Until and after all
these Objectionable features are re-
moved, no consortium activities or
loans can be realized or conducted in
China, for the public opinion of China
now is so strongly opposed 10 the con-
sortium that the government could not
ACCEPT it, even if it should choose to.
Special Privileges Pooled
Instead of different spheres of in
fluence which we have in China now
and which have done SO much damage
in her development and progress, the
powers are trying to put over an inter-
national sphere of influence through the
introduction of the consortium. Or, to
put it in still palmer words, instead of
different rights and concessions scat
tered throughout the Chinese Republic
held by different nations now. the con-
sortium is aimed at holding all these
economic rights and concessions under
the control of an international board.
China has had tremendous difficulties
IN her attempts to remove these special
rights and concessions, which are so
injurious and detrimental to hcr well
d
not only to China but also to the pow
ers themselves if they are to create
an international organ to control the
future destinies of economic China,
while on the other hand they have anA
nounced that they are "to refrain from
taking advantage of the present condi-
tions in order to seek special rights or
privileges which would abridge the
rights of the subjects or citizens of
friendly states and from countenancing
action inimical to the security of such
states" as embodied in Root Resolu-
tion No. 4. The world should not be
deceived by nice phrases of diplomats,
and should bear in mind that the con-
sortium is directly against the spirit
of the fourth resolution, which was so
ably stated by Senator Root.
Wants Money Without "Control.''
China needs a great deal of money
for her economic development, and un-
less she borrows from other countries
such economic development cannot be
carried to a great degree of success.
But the powers should know at the
same time that China welcomes only
financial help contracted purely on
business basis. without political
conditions attached to the contracts,
ana Cnat unless the idea OF "cOntrOp
gets out of the minds of the political
tinanciers China will choose a slower
and safer way of developing herself by
depending upon her own bankers
through the newly organized popular
and efficient bankers associations
throughout the country.
If the world really stands for high
er order of civilization-tha is, the So
called western civilization-it should
see to it that while political imperial
ism should be done away with in the
future, financial Imperialism must not
be allowed to continue either, because
financial Imperialism is much deadlier
and more poisonous weapon.