Evening star., 1921-11-25
China's Declaration of Independ.
ence.

ence.
China is no novice in the manufac-
| ture of fireworks. and apparently her
verbal skyrockets are as impressive
as the more tangible variety she ships
US in the late spring. At any rate.
the unexpected projection into the
conference of the ten proposals which
| the Chinese representatives submit as
basis for new Chinese policy is
looked upon by editorial writer's as
clever means of keeping up the
pyrotechnics that Secretary Hughes
started. Whether regarded as
declaration of independence" or
merely'as a plea" the Chinese plat
form is accepted by sympathetic
American papers as pointing the way
to equitable adjustments in the far
least. The feeling is expressed by
| other writer's. however. that the atti.
| tude of the delegates rather unfairly
places all the responsibility. for
China's condition on other shoulders
| when. as a matter Of fact, she is very
largely to blame. and her problems.
after all, are chiefly domestic.
The amazing thing about China's
, ten points" to the Louisville Courier
Journal (democratic) is that 'they
plead for things which nations Of the
western world take for granted"
Even in this the Philadelphia Public
try has dared greatly" in its declara-
! tion that '.it wants to be nation
| again. not q road to riches for aliens"
and that cit is tired of being a field
where thOyellow man plows and sows
and the white man and the brown
! Pf1t hof do fn0
veals to the Birmingham News
| (democratic) that the Celestial em-
pire is developing "a man-sixed race
| consciousness clothed with all the
zeal and determination that have
marked the birth Of new republics" a
development, the News adds, which
will doubtless ''be viewed with alarm,
not only by the Japanese but by
| those great western powers who for
| many generations have viewed the
empire as vast stretch Of territory
| strategems and spoliation of so-calied
civilized powers"
The statement Of principles which
China now advances is indeed "an in
dictment of the exploitation to which
quarter of century by the very
powers to which she now appeals"
declares the Norfolk virginian-Pilot
Independent democrat), an attitude
which is shared by many writer's.
But II It 10 an indictment Of past
ture 1t is nothing short of a declara-
the Newark News independently.
The "ten principles" says the Bos-
ton Transcript (independent repubft-
can). ''are in accord with the spirit
which Secretary Daniel Webster set
forth in his instructions to Mr.. Cush-
ing, and which has been the American
policy toward China ever since" be-
Ing. in fact the Topeka Capital (re-
publican) adds, scarcely more than
policy relating to the far east" Ac-
ceptance and observance Of these
principles by the other powers will,
the New York Times Independent
democrAt) states, "safeguard China
against infringements upon her inde-
pendence. her territory and her lib
erty Of action. and will leave her
free to work out her destiny in her
own manner"
varying estimates Of the force be-
hind China's proposals may be sug-
gested by the terms applied to them.
for instance, speaks Of them as "un-
compromising demands": the Duluth
Herald independently thinks China
has made no requests" that should
not be granted, and the Canton news
(democratic) regards them as "a plea
90 reasonable that 1t 70 not easy to
see how any honorable nation can
raise objections"
But Q number Of papers are not 20
sanguine OF the reception which Will
be accorded such q policy. III the
powers would consent to the full ap-
plication Of these principles, they
would give up all the special rights
and privileges that they enjoy In va
rious parts Of China" and the Water.
bury (Conn.) Republican (republicanl
thinks this els too much to expect.
The Chattanooga News (democratic1
feels that "the conference will have
20 possess courage far above the or
dinary to try it's hand at going back
Of these accomplished facts and un-
doing the ancient wrong" for. - the
Brooklyn Eagle. .ltndependent demo-
mat) SAYS, while less material CON.
cessione may be made, Japan shows
no DISPOSITION to relinquish her grip
On the Lao -tung peninsula and upon
Nanchuria, nor does Great Britain in
dicate that she Intends to part with
her valuable trade concessions, and,
iAast Of all, with Hongkon9. Even
the United 6tatss 10 not 10 euiitless,
the Des Moines Register Qndepen-@
dent republican, points out. but that
athe Chinese demand that Americans.
sionE With all thu other. quit both