Evening star., 1926-11-14
CHINA AND POWERS
AT BREAKING POINT
u. S. May Be involved With
Others After Report on
Extraordinarily.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.
China's relation with the foreign
powers, including the United States
are once again at the breaking point
Critical developments are impending
They are not likely to be postponed
very long after the approaching publ
cation of the international report on
extraterritoriality in China.
The report, to be issued stimuli.
tAneously in Washington and the
capitals of other signatory nations
strongly disapproves China's desire
Tor abolition of hatred foreign judi
ciary rights within her territory. In
effect, she is informed that her
ohronically chaotic condition and end.
less internal warfare makes it i'm
possible for the powers to abandon
their own courts of justice in China.
The reports hold out the prospect
that If certain recommended reforms
can be enforced by Chino SO authorities,
the day when extraterritoriality can
safely be surrendered will be ma.
terially hastened. Meantime the pow.
ers assert their determination to pro-
tect their nationals in courts admin
tstered by their own judges and con-
sular officers throughout the revolu-
tion-racked republic.
Results Likely to BE Grave.
The effect OF this blow to China's
aspirations for international equality
can hardly fail to be serious. The
government at Peking has already
abrogated the treaties with Japan and
Belgium, under which those powers
enjoy extraterritorial and other spe-
cial rights in China. Secretary Kel-
logg considers that the America n
treaty with China, dating back to
1914 and renewed in successive TO-
year periods, with a present expira-
tion date Of 1884 cannot be abro.
gated without the United States con.
sent.
The British government takes the
same view with regard to it's pact
with China. But it is freely acknowl-
edged that II China decides, despite
diplomatic niceties and covenants, to
tear up her treaties with the powers,
nothing short Of armed force can pre-
vent her from doing so. That means
war. 1t would call for the dispatch
OF an international expedition to
China comparable to the sanguinary
campaign that brought the Boxer re-
bellion Of 1900 to an end.
Twenty-siX years ago, when Ameri-
can soldiers and sailors stormed
Peking in comradeship with European
and Japanese troops, there was a
China which the powers could punish
and bring to terms. Today there is
no such China. In its stead there are
half dozen Chinas. so.called CEN
trail government conducted by RE
gency Cabinet" headed by Wellington
koo. is in nominal power in North
China, at Peking, but it's authority
In fact hardly extends beyond the
ancient city's own limits. South
China is ruled by government
Canton, which Is as independent of
Independent of Ottawa, the capital of
Canada.
Menaced by Soviet.
In the great province of Manchuria
Marshal Chang Tso-Lin Is in auto.
cratic control. though constantly
menaced by Soviet Russia. In Mon
golia, another vast Chinese domain,
Soviet Russia dominates affairs
through a bolshevist regime controlled
from Moscow. In other provinces,
north. east and west of Peking.
rival Chinese war lords are battling
one another for power, with fortunes
which fluctuate from day to day.
In other words, China Is a hopeless
mess" Peking is the sham CAPT.
tai of a shadow government which
exists only in name. There Is no
president Of the republic, except the
one who is refugee In a foreign set
tlement far from the Peking White
House. The powers. including the
United States, continue formal diplo-
matte relations with Wellington Koo's
regency cabinet" but Minister Mac
Murray and the rest of the Pekine
diplomatic corps are aware of the
complete futility of any demands, pro
tests, representations or requests sub
mitted in the corps name
When Secretary Kellogg directs
Mr.. MacMurray to submit an Ameri
can mote" to the Chinese foreign
office, the minister knows that it is
q gesture, pure and simple, withous
the remotest possibility of effective
action. America has a determined
purpose in maintaining regular rela
tions with even the vestige of a CO
hesive China. Our policy is consist
entity aimed at saving China from dis
memberment and disintegration.
Report Is VOlumnous.
The extra a-territoritorially report,
which may prove to be the spark
that will ignite international gun
powder in China, Is a voluminous
document autographed by the ennis
saries of Is foreign governments.
These include the nine nations that
signed the Nine Power Treaty" at
the Washington conference in 1929
the United States. Great Britain,
Japan, France. Italy. Belgium, the
Netherlands. Portugal and China her.
self-and four other states, viz,
Spain. Sweden. Norway and Den
mark.
Silas H. Strawn Of Chicago Is the
eignatory for the United States One
of the 13 originally signed and bulky
copies of the report has lain on Sec
retary Kellogg's desk for several
weeks. having been brought to Wash
tngton by Mr.. Strawn on his return
from China in October. 1t was stipu-
lated that the text should be made
public simultaneously in all 13 cap
itals at an agreed period. That date
10 imminent. Mr.. Strawn Is expected
in Washington for another confer
ence with President Coolidge and
Secretary Kellogg within a few days.
The report will probably be given
out then. or shortly thereafter.
In a speech at Chicago last week
Mr.. Strawn narrated the efforts OF
the International eXtra-territorial
and customs-tariff commissioners to
arrive at a just solution Of China's s
judicial and tariff questions. He left
no doubt that for the present the
powers do not and cannot dream OF
relinquishing long standing measures
Of self protection In China.
Tariff Control An Issue.
An TO Chinese demands for SELF