Evening star., 1925-08-20
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

There seems to be fear that Chinese
extraterritoriality is about to be aban-
doned, and alien residents are reported
as somewhat nervous as TO what will
become of their safety and property
rights, when they have no defense or
justice except what may be gotten
from Chinese courts.
Even with the present safeguard OF
foreign courts established by treaty to
protect the nationals of the several
countries having diplomatic relations
with China, the thousands of strikers
in the textile mills owned by the
Japanese and British have boycotted
practically all foreigners except the
Americans. When the strike became
tense, a crowd of strikers undertook
to invade the foreign quarter OF
Shanghai The mob was held back
by British soldiers or police, who
opened fire upon the Chinese. I'm
mediately the diplomatic body al
Peking appointed a commission to
make impartial inquiry into the affair,
and the Chinese government appoint
ed commission to join in that in
quiry. The findings of the joint
inquiry were kept secret. 1t is
said to have leaked out in France
that the verdict is adverse to the
British. If that verdict becomes
known to the Chinese mob. further
disturbances and further demands for
expulsion Of all foreigners, and aboli
ton of all eXtraterritorial courts for
protecting foreigners are likely to
result.
The United States has a long record
of unbroken friendliness toward the
Chinese. Many Americans have the
miSconception that our Government
has exercised ultra-altruistic methods
in dealing with China, such as II
would not allow in dealings with more
powerful or enlightened nations.
We have a record of having pro-
tected Chinese rights. notably In
Secretary John Hays demand of the
nations that they recognize in China
the open door" wherein all nations
would be on an equal footing in
Chinese trade.
Americans have proudly boasted of
the supposed altruisp manifested
when our Government gave back to
China the indemnity received for the
damages of the Boxer Rebellion. The
stood by the public, according to one
of the high officials of our State De-
partment.
The nations in 1900 had marched
with their allied armies to the re-
lief of their legations at Peking.
Later they presented claims of their
respective nationals who had been
damaged by the insurrection. These
claims were demanded in one sum,
and the dues to each nation We're
divided by the united allied nations.
The private claims of Americans to-
tailed about 100000. The military
expedition of relief cost us about
S6,000,000. Our Treasury was author
lied by Congress to reimburse the
private claimants without waiting
for the collection from China. 1t
was agreed that China should amor
tie her entire debt, annually, pay
ing part on the principal and part
on the interest. The payments be-
gan in 1902. BY 1908 it was seen
that the amount which China had
agreed to pay US would exceed all
that she had cost us in the Boxer
Rebellion. President Roosevelt di-
rected, therefore. that China should
be notified that we would rebate the
excess. This was partly done then;
more has been rebated later-not as
a matter of generosity, but Of honest
settlement.
The broadness of the settlement
the example in international honesty
was received by China as a magnifi- :
cent lesson. Her diplomats suggest
ed that the Chinese government de-
sired to commemorate the deed in
some suitable way and asked for
suggestions. The idea that the re-
bate might be set aside as a fund
for the education of Chinese In
Western learning and ideals was ac-
cepted and put into action The
initial suggestion as to the use of
the fund, however, was not CON
dition precedent" to our rebate; it
came only as an afterthought from
an appreciative China-commemora
ing the act and crystallizing the
adage, Honesty Is the best policy"