New-York tribune., 1921-11-13
China,
BykWilliam L. Mcpherson

T APAN greatly overplayed her
& hand when she took Shantung
- and served her Twenty-one De-
mands on China. The reaction
! from those two aggressive moves is
! felt IN all the recent literature dealing
with the Pacific question. Great Britain
is Japan's ally. But British writers on
| the Far Eastern problem are, as a
rule, as outspoken in their criticism
| of Japan's policy in China as American
writer's are.
A. NJ. Pooley, author of Japan at
the Cross Roads" "The Secret Me-
moirs Of Count Hayashi" and "Japan's
Foreign Policies" though IN Engli sh-
man uses his exceptional knowledge of
Eastern affairs to draw bitter ndict-
ment Of what he considers the "Prus-
sianized' methods and spirit of Japa-
ness diplomacy.
Hector C. Bywater, the British naval
expert, author of "Sea Power in the
Pacific" thinks that Japan has been
skillfully preparing for war with the
United States and is in far better po-
sition to fight for control Of the Pa
cific than most Americans suspect. He
condemns American neglect to safe
I guard the Philippines and Guam and
| has no patience with tho theory that
Japan doegn't realize her present mill
tary advantages in the Western Pa
cific and has no intention OF utilizing
them except for self-defense. Mr.. BY
water also bluntly accuses Japan of
"Prussiani m" II. says:
zone would credit the people of
! Japan with too much intelligence not
! to perceive the dangers TO which an
aggressive foreign policy must ex-
pose their empire. There are, how
ever. unmistakabIe signs that wide
/ circles Of the natHcn have become i'm
bued with the political doctrines of
/ the Prussian school and hypnotized
by the shibboleth which lured Ger
many to her ruin. The old cry Of
/ Weltnlacht oder Nicdergang
power or downfall has been taken
up by the military caste and is
echoed with equal conviction by In
| tellectuals' and hard-headed men Of
business. The press as whole ar
! gues that the future welfare and
! prosperity of Japan depend to far
greater extent on the size of her
armaments than on the encourage
nlent of national thrift, industry and
| sound administration"
| The Rev DR.. Gilbert Reid's book,
"China, Captive or Free9" is an indie
nant summary OF China's grievances
against the powers which have alien
ated large sections of her territory and
plastered over other parts of it with
mo trespass" signs in the way of spe-
cial political and economic privileges.
Great Britain, France, Russia, Ger
many and Japan have all in turn ex-
plotted Chinas weakness. at the same
time conlpacting with one another and
with the United States TO maintain
the political Independence and terri
torial integrity of the nation whose
sovereignty they were impairing and
| abridging. These engagements were
never made with the Chinese; they
only reflected the dubious Intentions
I VI SuiAd NdIIOOS Scl1-eIecteU guard
iaps.
DR. Reid has lived many years In
1Eina and writes from the Chinese
viewpoint He censures the Wilson
Administration for the part 1t played
in helping to drag China into the
great war, The Allies simply used
China, he thinks, for their own pur-
poses-the chief of which WAS to ex-
! terminate German trade in the repub-
lie And after filing her Up with vain
hopes OF a restitution of Shantung
they betrayed her to Japan at the
Paris conference The author writes
with good deal of heat. He opposed
China's entry into the war. His news
paper in Peking was suspended and
! he got on the blacklist of the American
Legation there Yet he has little diff
| hculty in showing that China's treat
men. as an ally and in the peace ses-
Element was perfectly III line with the