Grand Forks herald., 1921-12-12
OCCUPYING CHINESE TERRITORY

Great Britain, France and Japan have agreed
! to vacate certain Chinese territory occupied by
them, this agreement being conditioned the full
hment by China of certain conditions which the
several nations deem essential to the security of
their nationals resident and doing business in or
adjacent to those districts
China has for many years been an attractive
field for many lines of legitimate trade Enterpris-
ing men in the western world have sought to avail
themselves OF the opportunities afforded and have
established business institutions of considerable
magnitude within the empire. China has been slow
Iii getting into touch with the more modern world
and tor long time her people were inclined to re-
sent the presence of foreigners The Chinese gov
ernment which had permitted and often encouraged
the development OF this foreign trade was often un-
able to protect those engaged in it against the hos
tty OF the local people Out of this grew, in per-
tectly natural way the demand for territorial con-
cesslons to foreigners and for military occupation
Added to this was the common, if not universal
practice of grabbing territory wherever it could be
found, and the mutual jealousy existing among the
western nations. The accumulation of causes good
and bad led to the creation of spheres of influence
which, had the process been carried to its logical
lconclus1on, would have resulted in the dismember-
ment of China and the apportionment of it's terri
tory among the nations which had gained foothod
there.
The United States has consistently opposed the
whole program of spheres of influence exploitation
and dsmemberment and has stood for the integrity
and independence Of China, for full opportunity for
tHe AIllLeSe 10 make tner own the world
and for equal trade opportunities in China for all
nations. '..-
Foreign occupation, always source of irritai-
ton to China, has become troublesome problem
TOR the occupying powers. Itappears that substan-
al progress has been made in the direction of the
disposition of these problems by elimination. No
one nation occupying Chinese territory is willing to
withdraw separately, but the situation can be sim
plihed if all withdraw together.
Two things will tend to facilitate this process
! 1YCf fna Iaxa1rr 4.ofo +a1:
conditions in China, upon which the plans for with
drawa are predicated and second the crystalliza-
ton of world sentiment against the annexation of
territory by force suasion having the effect OF
force and the exploitation Of peoples. Stable gov
ernment in China will remove all real need for for
egn occupation of Chinese territory for the purpose
Iot security OF foreign residents. The sentiment
against ABSORPTION and exploitation is so rapidly
assuming definite form and taking on compelling
force that it is becoming increasingly improbable
that any nation will be permitted to grab Chinese
territory to suffer i'll the international competi-
ton by seeing it grabbed by others.
l. he armament conference has achieved a won-
derful success in the progress which it has made
toward clearing up the Chinese situation and in
reaching agreements which, though as yet but ten
tatve, are highly important.