Omaha daily bee., 1921-08-22
Sidelights on Far East
Characteristics of China and the
Qualifications Of Japan to Rule
lFrom the Washington Post.l

AS the time approaches for the armament
conference it is noticeable that the worlds at
tention is turning more and more earnestly to the
orient The problems grouped under the title OF
questions relating to the far east and the Pa
chc" are many and intricate. They have proved
rebellious against any solution thus tar offered.
Whether they will be solved by the combined
intelligence Of the Washington conference re-
mains to be seen.
Several aspects of the question OF China may
be worth the study OF those who are now begin
ming to inquire into the nature OF the problems
that will confront the conference. China is such
a vast subject for thought and presents so many
angles for consideration that it is impossible to
do more than sketch few of the salient points
that may present themselves to the conference.
It is Chna's relation to Japan that will naturally
arrest attention.
Japan claims to have a special interest i'll
China. This claim is somewhat hastily denied by
many westerners. Is it a just claim? When the
relations Of the two nations are studied, even
specifically, it must be admitted that Japans
welfare seems to be bound up in China. Japan
has reached stage of industrial development
which cannot be destroyed without virtually de-
stroying the nation. Granting that much more
land could be cultivated by employing better
methods, the fact remains that Japan is depend
ent upon foreign lands for foodstuffs and raw
materials-more dependent than Great Britain,
because its population is twice as large and its
cultivable area much smaller. China is the chief
source of Japan's supply. 1t is asserted by ex-
perts that if Japan should be cut off from China,
even for month, there would be general suffer-
ing and probably national disaster.
Consequently japan believes that its relations
with China should be acknowledged to have a
special character, to be safeguarded in the ADJUST
ment of the worlds relations with China. On
that claim there may be deadlock in the con-
ference, for it is the very Of the forthcoming
discussions. Grant Japans special claims, and
the Chinese question takes on new aspect. Deny
it and the Japanese danger threatens to become
acute.
China has been invited to send representatives
to the conference to participate in the discussion
of far eastern questions But what is China? In
many places throughout that vast country the
authority OF the Peking government is denied.
Local chieftains maintain private armies" made
up OF mercenaries, usually bandits, who number
100000 in all These bands roam about de-
vouring the peoples substance. At Canton the
southern republic hourishes in spite of Peking,
but it is not strong enough to supplant Peking,
nor is Peking strong enough to cope with Sun
Vat Sen.
The population OF China is variously esti-
mated at 300,00O,000 to 400000000 individuals.
The exact number does not matter as it is too
large in any event to come within the scope Of
the human Imagination. The percentage of Chi
nese persons who are educated sufficiently to in
terest themselves in their country and its rela-
tions with other countries is so small as to be
without influence upon the mighty current Of
deep ignorance that sweeps that nation into the
unknown future The Chinese people as whole
do not know what kind of government they have;
they have no interest in politics because they
cannot read or write or understand politics; they
feel no sense of duty to their country; in word,
they have no patriotism.
Acting upon that mass of humanity is the
highly organized, patriotic, ambitious Japanese
population, operating through an efficient gov
eminent which seems to adapt itself with peculiar
success to every need of the situation. The Jap
anese people are 98 per cent lterate; education is
compulsory; national expansion is both necessity
and delight to the eager youths who are gradu-
ated from Japanese schools. These youths are
we'll trained in the politics of their country and
make patriotism a religion. They are trained in
military or naval life as we'll as in business.
Their capacity for working in organization is
unsurpassed.
These few sidelights show that the far eastern
questions to be considered by the Washington
conference are of an extremely complex and diff
ficult character. 1t is not surprising that Japan
pondered long before accepting the invitation to
discuss these questions. The fact that Japan is
now ready to review these questions is solid evil
dence of its desire to maintain friendly relations
with all nations.