Evening star., 1925-06-07
War Clouds in China.

War clouds loom in China. Unless
the germs OF trouble in Shan ghai can
be localized and stamped out there is
danger of conflict throughout the
huge territory inhabited by the Chi
nese. There is danger too, that in
such a conflict the nations of the
world may again be drawn into strife.
In the past, war prophets have
turned their eyes either to the Bal
kans or to the Far East preferably
China. for signs of coming conflict.
Not that the Chinese have threatened
other nations with war. But other ma
tions have extended their spheres Of
influence here and there throughout
that great country on the slightest
provocation, until there has been
danger that they would quarrel over
the spoils.
Even now the threat OF serious war
which might affect the outside world
lies more particularly in the report ed
fact that one military leader Is being
backed by Soviet Russia and another
by japan. A civil war in China, IL
confined to the Chinese. might not
have immediate and far-reaching ef-
feet outside of China. But a war
hacked by Russia on the one hand
and by Japan on the other would In
evitably draw those nations into the
struggle, and with them perhaps still
others.
The United States has been the ira
ditional friend of China. striving
through the open door" policy to see
that all the nations and China herself
had an even break in the development
of the resources and the commerce of
this great area Of the worlds surface.
At the Washington conference on
limitation Of armaments and the prob
lens of the Pacific the good Offices of
this country were used to bring about
a better accord between China and
Japan, which held the province of
Shantung as a legacy from the war
with Germany. Treaties were drawn
which sought to help China to help
herself For one reason or another,
due In part to the play Of interna-
tional politics, there has been delay in
making these treaties effective.
There must in America at all times
be sympathy for people who are under
foreign domination. The plea of the
Chinese has been to be let alone, to be
allowed to enjoy their freedom as they
saw At. In the last century and the
present the hold of foreign powers on
under coercion, has been increased
The real hope for China lies in the de-
yelopment OF a strong government Of
its own. The Chinese might gain a
temporary advantage by playing one
powerA or group of powers. against
another In the end such tactics would
leave her subservient to the nation
which had ostensibly come to her as
sistance.
The trouble in Sha nghai according
to the reports received here, has
arisen largely because of the exploita-
tion of Chinese labor in mills conduct
ed by the ia panese. Strikes, agitation
conducted by Chinese students, the
killing and .wounding of a number of
the students during a demonstration,
have featured the distur bance. Shang-
hai ts-one OF the great treaty ports of
China There is the native city on the
one hand and the foreign settlement
on the other. In the latter, where
Concessions have been granted to
the British, French and Americans,
the government is conducted by the
foreign element. The municipal police
of the foreign settlement. under Brit
ish officers, were responsible for the
death of the students on May 80. The
students were conducting a demon
Btratton against the conviction Of II
Chinese workers in a japanese mill
for taking part in strike.
The entire situation demands care.
ful handling If there is not to be a
serious uprising, in which the peoples
of foreign nations generally might be-
come involved. The United States
Government would be entirely JUST.
fed in any move 1t made to bring
about peaceful solution of the diff
Guilty.