The New York herald., 1921-09-04

country of China, with long record
Of civilization. statescraft, philosophy
art and religion, the question arises:
Has China been blessed or cursed by
western civilization?
The necessity for the coming dis
armament conference grew out of the
murder in 1897 of two Catholic mis-
sionaries of German nationality by a
Chinese mob. This led to Germany's
lease of Kiaochow, in the province of
Shantung, for a period Of ninety-nine
years, which, together with all other
rights and privileges granted to Ger
many, was turned over by the peace
conference to Japan. Thus the big
Three" generously gave away some
thing which did not belong to them
and thereby established Japanese SUI
premacy in China.
Suppose British battleships should
steam into New York harbor, land
marines and seize all the German
owned property in the metropolis,
shooting any citizen of the United
States who was insolent enough to re-
sist, would there not be bare possi-
bility that our feelings might be some
what nettled and that, when opportu-
nifty offered. the American nation
would proceed to repeat the Battle of
Bunker Hill. or some more extensive
operation of a distinctly disagreeable
character? But it has not been China's
custom to resort to war, unless such
disaster is forced upon her. Consider
ing our grave responsibility it is moth
ing more than poetic justice that
America intends to afford Chinas rep
resentatives at the disarmament con-
ference an opportunity to speak
trumpet tongued" against the viola
tions of her territorial integrity, espe-
cially against "the rape of Shantung."
the sacred province where China's
Prince of Peace" Confucius, was
born
I'm the identical language of the
Versailles treaty." writes DIR. Reid,
what Germany had in Shantung was
certain rights If she had any rights
they were granted to her by China,
and by China alone Moreover these
rights were determined by treaty of
the two governments of China and
Germany, and by the action of no
to the terms of the grant the rights
acquired by Germany were unassign-
able and non-transferable."
Gilbert Reid is convinced that there
was no excuse for bringing the war
from Europe to Asia, resulting in ca
lamities to China and a decided gain
to Japan. In the words of Marquis
Okuma: THE war afforded Japan the
one opportunity Of ten thousand
years" Certainly Japan's nefarious
twenty demands" on China would
never have been proposed If the great
Powers had been free to act.
The outstanding hope of the disarm-
ament conference is the commercial
rivalry that exists in China between
Japan and Great Britain, which
aroused the British Government to
protest against Group Ill of the
"twenty-one demands relating to
mining interests in the Yangtsze Val
ley. BY the payment of 100000 sill
yer, plus 100000, to Tuchun Mci.
Wing-Sun, the Military Governor
OF the Province of Kwangt,.og.
who was recently ousted by DR.. Sun
fat-Sen, England has secured a stra-
tegic hold on the source of southern
China's coal supply. AS Japan's min
erai resources are wholly inadequate
there is n fighting chance that Johnny
Bun and the little almond eyed men
from the Kingdom Of the Rising Sun"
VIII not be completely harmonious
cronies when the disarmament confer
ence Is on and the big guns begin to
boom.
1t Is decidedly unfortuate that on
account or secret treaties America was
deluded when she entered the war.
"The fact that these secret agreements
were not disclosed to the Pekin Gov
ernment nespeaks no real friendliness
10 CHINA, writes DIR. Reid. THE fact
that they We're not disclosed to the
Washington Government at the very
time Americas help was being sought
by the Entente Allies and at the time
American arguments were Ieluding
the Chinese besp AXIS no real triendli-
ness to the United States.
According to the statement OF Sec
retary Lansing, August IL 1919. be-
Ifore the Senate Committee an Fore. /,
tRelations. neither Mr.. Arthur Ralfour
NOR NJ. Viviani nor viscount Isbii on
coming to the United states in 1917
on special missions, confidential and
far reaching, disclosed to anv one in
the American Government tho ar
rangements arrived at in Toxic dur
ing the early part OF the san,e vear
You may rest assured said
Great Britain's Secretary for Foraiyn
Affairs, that President Wilson e kent
fully informed by the Allles.,"
Upon the results Of the dlsarro r,ert
conference a war sick world ,,,a,t.
with trembling hope. The so,,,tion
may be found only In obedience 81 ,ba
lesson taught by all the great teachars
OF every age. In the last words ~
the late Governor General OF canaao
Earl Grey:
II want you to make my voice sorrd
from the grave. I want to say r. ,,,o
people there's a real way out az ,ho
mess materialism has got us into rs.
Christ's way. Mazzini saw II. W.
must get together. We must rea,,.a
that all are members of one fanoiI,,
Love is the way out and the way m