The Washington herald., 1921-11-13

Heaven can prevent Japan and per
haps others beside Japan from go
ing in. The doom Of Morocco was
always sealed. despite ali the
declarations Of Algeciras. because
there was lacking In the shereehan
Empire the elements out Of which
to reconstruct a viable state ana
thefe was no possibility Of common
action by Britain. France and Ger
many to restore Moroccan unity.
Once the conference at Washing
ton has defined China, IL must
agree. upon . common policy to be
pursued by all three nations Inn
mediately concerned to the end
that a China may be constituted
or reconstructed within the area
described as such on the new map.
And the beginning Of this recon
stitution must be q self-denying
ordinance which pledges all three
nations to seek no political or
elusive sort in that territory. This
would amount to giving meaning
alike to the terms open door" and
1.-THE integrity OF China"
Cs.ssftiun Necessary.
But the process does not stop with
the self denying ordinances which
are TO follow a definition Of the
fact of China. these are In reality
only negative steps. II remains for
the United stekes. Japan and Britain
In terms and for Britain and the
United States in fact TO undertake
the gigantic task of making China a
fact and not a phrase. II China Is
to decay as Turkey did. as Morocco
did. nothing Is going to keep the
vultures off. But China cannot re-
gain health alone-essuming that
she can still be restored there will
have to be some sort OF a Censor
tium, financial, at the least to aid
in such a restoration
This means commitment
There is no lodging the fact. but
IL does not involve an obligation to
defend frontiers or to undertake
political associations Of an unlim-
tied character. 1t will not do to
create q China Of phrases, a China
automatically or even morally
Acknowledged. but lacking all ma
terial substance. The inescap-
able fact Is that the United
States, IL IL Is to give reality to its
principles of the open door and the
integrity of china. must be pre-
pared to assist In the restoration Of
a Chinese fact. II China cannot be
restored. there will be no open
door and no integrity. And, to
venture one step further in the cita-
ton of historical parallel. Japan
will push on beyond the great wall
as France crossed the Muluya in
Morocco.
Untf We have reached an agree
ment with Japan. with Britain par
ticipating. az to what il China, un-
I'll the three powers most in tirnate-
ly concerned have committei them
selves definitely to a policy of re-
framing from military, political or
economic aggrandiseme within
that newly defined area. until the
United States has recognized that Il
must associate itself with the Brit
ish financially IL not politically in
the rehabilitation Of the Chinese
unit as defined. everything else il
Of minor Importance
Conference Da.rer-Fr..sAt.
Nov, is such an agreemen DOS
sible? I have said and / repeat
that believe that Japan will
accept the Great wall Frontier
for China Ny judgment Ia that
British influence will not be exerted
further. because British state,msn-
ship recognizes that this is the ex-
treme limit OF possibility. The frst
and perhaps the greatest concession
Mr.. Hughes will have to make 1,
right here. But IL he declines 10
concede. then iLJ my judment the
conference will fail and fail with
appalling consequences for all con-
cerned.
Accepting the agreement on ee-
ography as assured. IL does not seen,
to me that there can be much
trouDte in arriving at q self-denyine
ordinance which even the United
States Senate witt indorse. for the
United States Senate, even in its
present mood. would hardly take
exception to a statement that the
United States had no territorial or
political aspirations on Chinese
territory ror any economic aspira-
lions which IL sought to translate
into special privileges for its own
citizens or interests.
II the conference could stop here
and address itself to the question
of the limitation Of ornaments, on
paper IL would seem to be a success.
But In fact, of course, II would be
no more than a deliberate and in
defensible deceiving Of the peoples
OF all countries and Of the American
people beyond all others We
should still have to face the danger
of war with Japan over China. for
the danger has it's origin. not pri-
marily in the present strength. or
temper OF Japan, but in the present
weakness and corruption OF China
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