The Washington times., 1921-10-24

the Occldent othcf btTiies afo mhpoho
ing. But these are like the lesser
settings OF the telluric crust after q
great earthquake. The restless West.
erp nationals have not yet adjusted
themselves 20 their new strata OF life
and interests. Their auarrel> are re-
lrettable, wasteful. and destructive
OF interests with which the United
States as a great Power must concern
itself But they will tend to subside.
IL is in the Far East that ques-
ton looms affecting every one OF the
Powers and civilization as a whole.
There the Oldest Of nations, Oldest
I'm population on vast territory, s
Just emerging from It's ancient state
into modern POLITICAL action. In the
transition II il weak. for the chry-
sails OF golden China is trammeled as
II breaks into the sun of new ltfe'
Foreign parasites and the birds OF the
air may pluck II where II lies. For
eign "claims" OF growing intensive
ness and magnitude have been forced
upon this Oriental civilization In the
act OF Its transforming.
Jap "Talons" Sink Into China.
or late Japan has thrust taloned
claims" deep into the interior OF
China proper, penetrating with her
beyond all other Powers. That thrust
has reached the national consciousness
OF the Chinese people, which has risen
IN united impulse to resist further
attacks or encroachments on its life.
The forces now at work upon China
exceed any groupings for dynamic
human action that have ever before
been active. At the center with her
millions lies the new Oriental republic.
Monstrous and portentous Russia on
her flank, with the hostile Imperialism
of the Carbon abandoned. seeks
China's alliance. As their popular In
stitutions develop these two great peo-
pies may become close political friends.
Great Britain is there with her far
flung interests radiating from the
Indian empire, Singapore and Hong
Kong, possessing a tremendous trade
organization TO project and develop.
France is there with her colonies Of
Indo-China.
Japan, feeling within her the i'm
pulses and potentiaiities Of political
mastery, is advancing step by step
toward an overwhelming control OF re-
sources on the mainland, coming there
by into inevitable collision not only
with the peoples Of Siberia and China.
but also into grinding friction with
the other nations that seek to develop
their opportunities there.
Infinitely complex this situation Is
now. Any general statement about II
Is bound to be, in part, at least, mis-
taken.
The nations there have different
rights" Some have merely com
mercial treaties. Others have little
settlements I'm some Of the chief ports
like Hankow and Tientsin. Still
la{, ai N
Investment in this or that region Of
China: Japan, for example. owns
an important railway which gives
her great power, economically and
politically, in Manchuria.
Foreign Rights" Menace China.
All these foreign rights" contain
some elements which are irksome TO
the Chinese. Some OF them are fun
of menace, they attack the very heart
and life of China.
The conference of course, cannot
wipe the slate absolutely clean in the
Far East. There rights" have grown
I'D gradually, their roots at times
striking down into force and injustice.
But no matter how founded, no
right" or claim can long maintain
itself unless II involves useful con-
structive action. AS a result of war
by conquest. the British took" the
barren island Of Hong Kong. They
have made OF 1t what 1t now is-one
of the great international marts.
Plainly, we must distinguish between
different rights and possessions which
have been gotten In China.
But one thing is certain. The exten-
sion of preferences and special in
terests into spheres of influence" for
different nations must cease " China
is to become the new China and to
continue; it must cease, also, II there
is to be peace In the Far East. Let
no one be misled by the saying that
the political sovereignty of China
will be preserved" and that "only eco
nomic privileges will be sought" by
foreign nations. The two things do
not, cannot, and never will go to-