Evening star., 1925-06-07

x x
China.-The phase through which
China is passing-has been passing
during the past Is years-is one or
the most important episodes or his
tory. I make no apology for the
length of space devoted to the follow
ing detail of that episode.
At Using Tau, Chinese strikers for
merly employed in certain japanese
cotton mills seized the mills. The
Japanese government, in consequence,
ordered two destroyers to Using Tau,
at the same time wiring to Peking
the hope that the Chinese govern
|ment would by the proper action make
IL unnecessary to land japanese ma
rines. The Chinese authorities acted
on the hint. On May 80 Chinese po-
lice, in course of clearing mill of
strikers, killed three of them and
wounded a score or more others,
On the same day Sikh police fired
on a mob led by Chinese students,
who attempted to storm police sta
tion in the international settlement of
Shanghai by way of protest against
the decision of a mixed court un-
favorable to Chinese strikers for
merly employed in Japanese cotton
mills and charged with violence
against Japanese property
Thereafter until the 5th there was
state of turmoil in the interna-
tional settlement; mobs melted by
the extremists of young China
Chose who have received western
type education of sortS), rioting and
the Sikh police and the volunteer
corps of foreign residents famous
for valiant service since the Tai Ping
days., suppressing in blood the more
violent demonstrators. To lnclude
the Sd, the Chinese casualties were Il
killed and 60 wounded; the foreign
casualties, one woman killed by
flying brick, two or three other per
sons slightly hurt Several hundred
foreign marines and sailors british,
American and Italians), were landed
and stationed to protect the water
and lighting plants and other public
services; it does not appear that they
had occasion to use or used their
arms. The tub humping orators of
young China tried to create general
strike and intercepted food supplies;
the hottest spirits were for expulsion
of all foreigners (perhaps excepting
| the Russians, their brothers in Len
| in. Reports, however. indicate that
only a small minority of the proletar-
| lat showed either wish or stomach
for such a business, and that the con-
siderable spread of the strike was due
| rather to terror than inclination. We
! hear that on the 5th the turmoil had
subsidized. only slight disturbances be-
ing reported.
The situation is, indeed, a curious
| one. Shanghai comprises an interna-
| tional settlement and a French settle
ment, each exclusively ruled by the
| foreign residents thereof; and the
| Chinese city and the suburbs of the
foreign settlements under Chinese
rule. OF these divisions the interna-
| tional settlement is the most populous
and far the most important: it was
the scene of most of the rioting. Its
municipal constitution dates from
! 1868. when the British and American
| settlements were amalgamated. 1t is
now quite cosmopolitan, the British
and Americans having admitted all
other foreigners to equal rights. The
suffrage. however. is on a high rate
paying basis, so that as British wealth
predominates British influence is pre-.
| dominant in the municipal govern
ment.
The foreign settlements were origi
nally intended for the residence of
| foreign merchants only. but Chinese
were not excluded with the result
| that foreigners are in a small minor
! ity. In 1919, the population of all
1
lion, the native population of the in
lternational settlement was 675 900, the
| foreign population about $4,000. Now
| observe that the Chinese have no say
in the municipal administration and
that they were taxed on the same foot
ing as foreigners by a small body of
! foreigners. Those Chinese agitators
| who do not go so far as to demand the
| expulsion of all foreigners, demand
that a least the Chinese residents be
admitted to participate in the local ad-
| ministration on an equal footing with
foreigners; further demanding aboli-
ton of all extra territorial privileges.
The latter demand is immensely forti-
fled by the fact that Russia and Ger
many have renounced extra territorial
privileges.
At first blush the former demand
might appear morally undeniable. but
look at the other side of the picture
| Most of the Chinese in the interna-
tional settlement went there to enjoy
| security of person and property and
escape from arbitrary taxation. The
| settlement has been a sanctuary of
political refugees of all categories. in
Guiding Young China. 1t is a pleasant
refuge for retired squeeze masters and
the headquarters of the Kuo Min
Tang (RadicaD party, where these vi
| NdSiOuS SSHlleIl16n natCn their DlOtS
| at leisure and with impunity and
whence they launch vituperation and
propaganda against the Peking gov
ernment. The Kuo Ming Tang party
| has always been violently anti-foreign
| mot merely anti-Japanese) They are
now tainted with bolshevism. Moscow
has devised an ingenious special tech.
nioue for the Chinese field She has
instnuated the gospel of reputation
IeI, h-r &C.,
the Western powers, she has infused
a richer carmine into the political
philosophy of the Chinese Radicals:
she has cleverly capitalized the fer.
ment. In their blind anti-foreign
hatred fomented by bolshevist propa.
ganda) the Shanghai Radicals would
destroy the sanctuary to which they
have been so much beholden and
whereof they may know great need
in the future.
The reader is reminded in this con-
nection that through the defeat last
/ year of WI Pei Flu, the liberal move
ment, which drew to itself the better
elements of Young China. is in eclipse
| and the Importance of the extremist
| (kuo Min Tang) element has been
much enhanced. No doubt many of
the better. sort of Young China have
in despair thrown in their lot with
the Kuo Min Tang gentry
| The whole world is asking, What
| Is the full significance of the Shanghai
business? Does 1t import a national
wave of anti-foreign feeling, or is it
only that the Radicals have cleverly
| capitalized a local industrial dispute?
! Canton, one hears, is all "het up
But Canton is always "het up" The
students at Chang Sha have rioted;
but Chang Sha students riot on any
provocation or none. The Peking
students have peacefully struck, de-
1 claring that the government is not