Evening star., 1924-04-18
IN TODAY'S SPOTLIGHT
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS

Millions for friendship. but not one
cent for repudiationi appears to be
the attitude of the committee on for
eign relations of the House in its
unanimous adoption of a joint resolu-
tion authorizing the remission of all
the balance of the Chinese Boxer re-
bellion indemnity. while distinctly
pointing out the difference between
the status of that account and the
loans to European nations during the
world war
day. after very complete hearing
and full discussion in committee, and
with the hearty approval of the ad-
ministration. The remission amounts
to about s6,00O.000 yet due This
ate agrees. which it is confidently
believed it will do. 1t amounts to
very many times that sum to China,
in view of the general understand
ing that upon Americas action will
depend similar cancellations by Great
spective claims are greater than the
original allotment to the United
States. Germany's balance was can
celed when China entered the world
T..
by the Versailles treaty of peace.
x
This country, so often misunder-
stood by foreigners as having no
ideals higher than greed for the dol
lar, has repeatedly demonstrated that
it is moved by the purest idealism
and widest international sympathies
IT. ion
other instance in our history has this
ideaIism of absolute justice tempered
by the Golden Rule been more truly
illustrated than it has in connection
with the Boxer rebellion indemnity.
There has been a popular misun
derstanding to the effect that the
entire Indemnity. SO far as concerned
the United States, was returned to
China during the administration of
President Roosevelt.
1t will be recalled that the Boxer
rebellion, in July, 1900. was a fanati-
cal uprising against all foreigners,
with a rallying cry of China for the
Chinese 1t did not. involve ] per
cent of the population, but it resulted
in penning up all legations and mis-
sionaries. The Chinese dowager en-
press superstitiously believed the
Boxers were invincib1e and the very
embodiment of patriotism.
A composite army made up of forces
from the United States and the pow
The nations then demanded of China
that she reimburse the expense of this
necessary invasion, together with
payment of all claims proved by indi-
Viduals, plus punitive damages. But
for the United States China would
have been partitioned and held by the
respective powers until the claims of
indemnity were satisfied. Already,
upon lesser provocation, Great Brit
ain, France. Germany and Italy held
with it's population four times as nu-
merous as the population of the
United States, and with people so
distinct that the nations of the occi-
dent refused to permit them to immi-
CRATE among their own races, was on
the verge of becoming an Asiatic Po-
land in total partition. Impossible in
demnity was demanded.
x x *
President Roosevelt and Secretary of
State John Hay urged moderation in
the indemnity, and recommended to
the nations that no sum greater than
s150,O00,OO0 total could be paid by
China; hence, should not be asked.
Furthermore, the American commits
sioner to the indemnity conference
was instructed to stand firmly against
any higher total than $200,000,000.
But the other nations insisted and
finally fixed the total claim at $685.
600, 900, about 40 per cent above our
recommended maximum.
The allotment to the United States
was s24,440,778.S1. This was based
upon the estimated cost of our Army
and Navy, at $9,336,642.0 Later it
was discovered that there had been
unintentional overcharges, since the
figures for the Navy made no account
of the normal expense of the Navy
vessels, and for the Army, certain sup
plies had been charged which were