South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-08-21
BY WIN. PHILIP SnNIS.

SHANGHAI, Aug. 2O.-The sue
cess or failure OF Pres't Harding's
disarmament conference will be
gagged by the treatment accorded
China-no more and no less.
What is everywhere in the Orient
considered as potentially the most
momentous congress in history will
come to naught II the menace OF
Asia is not removed and China given
a square deal.
If China receives the treatment In
Washington that Il has been Gus
tomary for the great powers to mete
out 10 her. armament merchants and
battleship builders may as well pro-
ceed at once TO enlarge their plants.
For var is waiting just around the
corner.
If China IS TO get a square deal
from the powers. IL is going to take
a considerable wrench OF diplomatic
usage.
Mossback diplomats will have 10
be chucked into the can with the
other obsolete things, else placed in
minority at the conference: red
tape viii have to be sundered and
precedent shattered.
Only by q miracle can the Chinese
delegation speak for a united China
or a government that really governs.
II the powers are going TO be
sticklers about such things the de-
lib srations threaten to become a
farce and the hope OF reduced arma-
ments will go up in column OF hot
air.
To the contrary, II the powers set
about helping China as wholeheart-
edly as hitherto they have cold
bloodedly trodden upon her. using
good will as lavishly as they have al
ways employed greed, something
may be accomplished.
VIII Mean War.
Both roadside road to success
and the road to failure-lie through
China.
Chinas antagonists at the Wash
ington conference will be the en-
emies of disarmament and of peace.
whatever their public utterances, for
the prolongation OF the present state
Of affairs in this country can lead 10
but one thing: War.
At Paris and Versailles certain
gum-shoe dipIomatists went from
delegation to delegation with this
plant:
How can we come to the assist
ance of poor China when China her
self is in no position TO accept as
sistance?"
Movie-star tears seemed to glisten
among their eyelashes. they were SO
sorry.
If PRIEST Harding's conference as
sumes this attitude. history can only
record its failure.
China a Menace.
China must be treated gently
much in the same way that a doc
tor treats a very sick patient.
Through her delegates she must
be brought to a realization that she
Is today the worlds greatest menace
to the peace; that this is not &C
much her fault as is the fault OF the
great powers sitting with her at the
table; that these powers now intend
to right past wrongs, in so far as
/ they are able. and that they will dc
this by helping her to get one her
| feet.
Thistle powers must make plain
10 the delegation-will be done
through, and with the cooperation
Of the Chinese people themselves
and that no infringement on China;
integrity IS intended or will be toll
Grated.
In short, as II has been put 10 me
shy China has been betrayed by the
sophisticated powers; It is now VI
to the party TO take care of tn.
child.
Never Had a Chance.
And why shouldn't the power
give China a square deal?" a friend
" American official exclaimed. "UT
70 this day the Chinese people hav,
never had a dogs chance In thei,
own country.
"All their existence they have beer
ruled over. and made slaves OF, b.
foreigners. The ancestors OF tn,
Huns. the Mongolians. the Tartars
the Manchus-all Of them-exploit
ed the loving Chinese during
thousands Of years. Then the Euro
peans and Japanese came along an
took over the job! It's the crime o
the ages.
That" he concluded Indignantly
sis something the Washington gov
eminent must not forget"
Significant and disquieting ques