The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-12-17
NO HELP FOR CHINA.

It is reported in cable dispatches
that two more provinces in China
have quit the Picking government and
gone over to the one ruling in the
southern part of the country. The
desertion of these provinces is attri-
buted to failure of Chinese delegates
to the Washington conference to ac-
complish anything for,the good of the
country.
In the existing state of the world.
united China might be able to force
foreign nations to relax their grip on
the country. 1t is becoming apparent
that these nations have no intention
of doing so voluntarily. The confer
ence at Washington seems reluctant
even to discuss the matter. Failure
Of the conference to deal with the
Chinese problem leaves intact the
most threatening possibility of war,
existing in the world today.
The China-Japan war disclosed the
military impotence of China. Euro
pean partition of Africa was just then
completed. Europe's big business and
imperialistic politics saw the great
opening in China. Then began a
fresh assault upon the country, each
European nation desiring to gain as
large a portion as possible of the
melon that was waiting for partition
among the powers. The rival nations
watched with Jealousy one another's
steps. The prime movers in the drama
of China's pitiful collapse were Russia
and Germany, followed soon by Great
Britain, France and Japan.
The first step was taken Jointly
by Russia, Germany and France, ap-
parently at the invitation of China.
They sent an ultimatum to Japan to
restore Port Arthur and the Lao
tung Peninsula to China which she
had coded to Japan by the treaty of
Shimonoseki. The real purpose of that
act, however, as disclosed by later
events, vas to prevent Japan from
having any share in the big melon"
and to clear out of the way both
geographically and metaphorically a
dangerous competitor.
Germany took the, next step by seiz-
ing Kiaochow and forcing upon China
a treaty granting to Germany private
rights to build railways and open
mines in Shantung. This was the be-
ginning of Especial interests and
rights and spheres of influence"
That treaty was a monument to subtle
and far-reaching diplomacy. China
made many pledges. among them one
to pay Germany for all her invest
ments and to give her some other
more desirable place in China, if for
any reason Germany should hand back
Kiaochow and her rights in Shantung.
Russia promptly occupied and then
leased Port Arthur for twenty-five
years and obtained special railroad
and mining rights in Manchuria and
Mongolia. Her great Trans-Siberian
railway was rushed to completion to
Vladivostok. to Port Arthur, to Dalny
and to Newchang and a great COM
mercial city was built at Dalny. Thus
did Russia at last gain unrestrained
access to an ice-free port.
Great Britain, seeing what huge
slices of the melon had been secured
by German and Russia, and realizing
that Russia would soon dominate the
government of China and threaten her
Indian Empire, unless duly checked,
obtained from China without violence
and only by diplomacy. a naval base
Weihaiwei, between Kiaochow and
Port Arthur; she also enlarged her
controlled area opposite Hongkong
and got China to recognize the great
central region tlSu which China's
largest navigable river flows, the
Yangtse basin, as a British sphere
of. influence" some 100000 square
miles of territory. No private conces-
sions in that region should be made
by Picking to any but Britishers.
France, seeing how rapidly the
other nations were getting their big
portions of the melon applied for
and cured an important naval base.
the bay of Kwanchow, in south China,
and also acknowledgment by China
of a large section or south China as
her special sphere of-influence" with
railroad and mining rights.
Italy, seeing what others were get
ting, entered a demand for something
too-but China said no.
The United States saw that unless
something effective was done, China
would soon be completely divided up
among the powers" and her treaty
rights of trade on the basis of the
most favored nation" would amount
to nothing. This led to the famous
proposition by Secretary Hay to all
the powers asking them to agree to
maintain the integrity OF the Chinese
Empire" and to practice the prin-
ciple of the "open door, for the trade
of all, even within the spe-
cial spheres of influence" All the
nations agreed to these proposals.