The Washington herald., 1921-11-12
bHINA TURNSDEAF
EAR TO OFFER OF
! WESTERN POWERS
Seeks to Stir Prejudice
s.Of U. S. Against Pactss
In Far East.
n1,FnANk 8. sIMoNps.

fettiement The Japanese opera
Ion Is directed at capitalizing the
popular conception that the Wash |
ngton conference L. designed TO |
ieal with the disarmament quesS-
Ion. The chinese have directed |
heir appeal to the American pretu-
lice against foreign entangtements, |
assoeiations or alliances.
This Chinese drive has had many
manifestations in recent days. OF
which the most striking. has been
declaration from DIR. Ferguson. |
financial advisor TO the chinese
government for many years. In
substance, as he indicates the
Chinese problem is to prevent any |
association of great powers either
N the financial or the political side
% interefere with the freedom OF
/. action Of China even though the
! Interference be ostensibly at least
China's interest
We have then the rather extra |
ofdinary spectacle OF China threat
sned By japanese aggression and
.hampioned by Western policy or
,erins as strenuous a resistance to
Western Interference as to Japan
herself. China. it would appear.
rin be saved by the Western
5owers only over her own dead
BODY.
Rursor. of Triple Pact.
What this means exactly is un-
nistakable. For days tthe Wash
ngtop corridors have buzzed with |
conversations. abont q Far Eastern
Ietuement which Jenyisaged AMI
Angfo-Japanese-AJ American assoefa-
ion or conxortion. financial If not1
political and political in larger
Aspectz We have had, discussion
u such an association nbt only as
he basis for the protection of the
Integrity OF China and the guaran-
tee Of the open door, but also as
he substitute for, the sAnglo-Japa-
1ese alliance Lz.
Evidently ali assumptions have
Jailed to reckon with the Oriental
New Japan, through Admiral
katO, has once more reminded the
Washington conference that Japan
pas not the smallest intention Of
permitting Western settlement Of
the Far Eastern problems II such
settlement can be avoided. China,
working on a wholly different line,
has adopted a similar policy.
What the Chinese hope to do is
unmistakable- On Capitol Hill, ru-
mors and hints Of a possible assu-
citation Of great powers in the Far
East has already awakened appre-
hension and melted mutterings.
China is going to address herself
to the IrrecOnCiIables. She is gO-
Ing to operate on that sensitive
nerve Of the American public which
II easily Jared by any hint of for
eigH complications or responsible
ties.
West Against West.
The truth would seem to be that
China does not want to be saved
~ the West: that she would be sat
isfied II she could play the Japanese
against the West, but probably even
BETTER satisfied if she could play
the Western barbarians against
each other. Perhaps the most in
tercstinE thing at this moment is,
that, although totally different in
purpose, the Japanese and Chinese
policies supplement each other ad-
mirably and must embarrass :
Hughes and the American rcj
sentatives EraveIy. ..E-....
You have here at the outset a
tyDicA example OF. the complexitief
of any international conference.
which makes it So difficult for the
mass Of the people TO understand
these gatherings The United
States has proclaimed a policy in
the Far East which snvisages- pro-
tectins= China from Japanese ag-
Eression and establishing. the prin-
riple Of the open door. which would
also remove dangers from west
eTn iRterfcrence. Eut China quite
x
means 20 interfere with the fnaHen-
ebla right Of the Chinese to elect
their own kind Of chaos. Everyone
know that the greatest danger in
Cidgut to attempting to rescue n
+ drowning man comes not from the
water. hut FROM the drowning man.
So FAR from being willing to be
rescued. China rs now engaged in
dra--i1g down her volunteer res
Cucrs.
Moreover. the more familiar one Is
with the Far East the less difficult
viii il he to understand why the Chi
rese are perhaps fully warranted in
bei~E ~lmOst as afraid of the great
bowers of th" West. despite their
benevolent expressions. as of JaDan.
Similarly. everyone Nho has been in
the Far Eost repeats the familiar
statement Of the extent and vitality
cf the Chinese traditicnal hatred for
the foreigner and for all his works.
Al the moment when the confer
Crce assemblies, therefore. one sees
. Japan and China both in the act of
seeking 20 bring 70 nothing the Amer
lean proposals and program affecting
TIE Far East, as presented by Mr..
IT Ighes. The japanese are willing to
liTit their arHlanents. buV not to
submit their Asiatic policy to Euro
pcan and American amendment or
regulation. The Chinese are glad to
have the Western powers restrain
Japan. but however divided by theil
discords they are upited against any
foreign reorganization Of their own
chaos. All of which is thOrnughlv
reuini scent in a way that 1t not
wholly pleasant OF some Of the mos
bewildering and unlucky phases of
the Paris conference.
In sum. then. Japan has shown her
hand in Baron Kato's declaration,
while the various Chinese moves of
recent days Indicate where China
means to operate. All of which tends
to prove that the East is still East"
f.