Evening star., 1924-04-18

diverted to the Philippines. A revised
account reduced the estimate some
$4,000, 900, which reduction was cred
tied to China.
In 1908. China having been making
monthly payments regularly, Con-
gress voluntarily and unconditionally
reduced the balance to s13.655,492 So
China had paid up to June, 1907, a to-
tai of S6,01o,931.91, which was applied
to the principal and accrued 4 per
cent interest The Senate had pro-
posed to reduce the balance to SILL
655,492.69, but the House. mindful of
certain private claims not then set
tied. raised the amount to the sum
accounts. These have since been fully
settled. and China has continued to
pay this government it's regular
monthly installments. Together with
the 1908 remission the total given
back to China by the United States
will amount to S1S.617 ,22S.05.
No conditions whatever were at
tached to the 1908 remission. To
show her appreciation of the gem
erosity of the United States the
Chinese republic has used all of the
remission for the support of a COL
lege in China and of some $500
Chinese students in America attend
ing leading colleges here. 1t has
been suggested that there was
"gentIemen's agreement" that that
would be done, but openly it ap-
peared as the spontaneous expression
of China toward desire to further
friendly relations through teaching
her citizens the ideals which were
making America great
In the wording of the preamble of
the present resolution in the House
committee, the language indicates
that China is expected to make SIM
liar use of the amount now remitted.
Reciting the voluntary act of China
hitherto. it says:
Whereas it is deemed proper as
further act of friendship to remit the
balance of the indemnity fund, in
tional and other cultural activities of
China, etc.
X *
All who appeared before the COM
mittee in connection with the resolu-
tions emphasized the friendly atti-
tude of the Chinese toward Ameri-
cans. The remission of our claims
marks new era in International re-
lations.
The educational enterprise through
sending Chinese to American COL
factory in results to China, for it has
largely educated the men away from
Chinese spirit into the occidental
spirit, so that when they have re-
turned to China they have not easily
fitted into usefulness. 1t is hoped to
build up more colleges in China sim
liar to that which prepares the stu
dents now coming to America, and
ultimately to establish a common
school system for the masses.
through the teaching of these grad
uates.
Americans might expand their
trade in China, but for our own in
elasticity of methods in business.
The potential trade is estimated at
sixty-five billion dollars year. in
place of the present one billion. Ii
Hung Chang said that If the Chinese
could be induced to lengthen their
Shirttails one inch the demand for
cotton cloth would so increase that it
would swamp all the cotton mills in
the world.
In connection with the remission of
the balance of the Chinese indemnity
it is of interest to recall that in 1883
the United States remitted to Japan
the sum of s7s5, ,oOO.s7, the balance of
an indemnity due us for Japanese at
tacks in 1863 upon our ships in the
Straits of Shimonoseki, at the same
time paying as prize money $4,000
to the officers and crew of the u. s. S.
Wyoming and to certain officers and
men detached from the Jamestown
for gallantry in destroying the Jap
anese hostile vessels. (.
Copyright, 1924, by Paul V. Corlins.f