Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-11-20
BORAH breaches

6OhAf1 FhEHCHES
China should be permitted to gov
ern herself. What American would
care to stand up and de- that
this should not be? But we come
to another proposition when one OBJ
server declares that China already
Is 50 permitted and has shown her.
self unable. while another onlooker
AYERS that the selfish restrictions
imposed on that country by greedy
foreigners hamper so that 1t Is i'm
possible for China to exercise her
inherent right of sovereignty.
Among the latter, looming high
because he is chairman of the Sem
ate Committee on Foreign Relations
and because he has great gift of ap-
peal to the emotions and rare alti-
tude OF ideal when he takes a no.
ton, is Senator Borah. Who has
forgotten his appeal for extending
the hand Of fellowship to the COM
munistio rulers of Russia?
In the matter Of appeal he Is at
las pCSI III has ICCCuL lCIiidl AS vi
the situation In China. II do not
see" he declares, "how we can deal
successfully with the situation If we
persist in ignoring the facts which
have so materially contributed to
the turmoil and strife, the dis
sension and the looting now going
. on in China. For years foreign
powers have been closing in, as it
were, upon China. = Forty of her
important cities and many Of her
great ports are now under foreign
control. What would be the pos
sibilities as to peace and content
ment, Of progress and development
stances? China's natural resources
powers. Her tariff duties are fixed by
thirteen different nations. The
foreigner in China Is exempt from
Chinese laws. Foreign warships
patrol her defenseless coast and
foreign gunboats police her rivers.
In all matters essential to a
nations prosperity and growth China
Is dominated by foreign powers"
But Is 1t fact that chaos in
China is due to restrictions imposed
ou AC4 Wy IbdtllCI WASH Y
it because Of her own inability to
govern herself, her lack of unity in
either purpose or execution that ex-
ouse was afforded the foreign
powers to impose those restrictions?
And should those be withdrawn and
the foreign interests established
there be abandoned to the whins
and frenzies of chaos? What gov
eminent of foreign country could
retain its power at home If it should
propose to sacrifice it's country's in
terests in China? The public would
applaud idealism but would shrink
from the sacrifice. And few gov
ernments nowadays but must con-
suit the constituents. The interests
are selfish. We hope that their
selfishness Is of a more enlightened
order than when Great Britain
sought to fasten opium on the Chin
csc people. Very likely some of
these interests, however, are not
sufficiently enlightened in their
selfishness altogether to refrain
from contributing to the chaos in
some way.
China lacks cohesion, is &C
customed to be governed after a
fashion by groups of grafters, as
suring no real protection to life or
property. At preset one group,
that of south China, Is making some
Roadway and processes a desire to
govern wisely. And this group is
being aided by communistic Russia
Affairs in China are reaching an
acute stage: once any group should
happen to gain ascendancy in that
country hostility to the foreigner
easily might take on a more ag-
gressive aspect. 1t is probable that
Borah Is somewhat anxious lest this
country be drawn into concerted &C
ton with other countries to main
tain order in the Orient.
Such concern would seem to be
warranted, but surely America alone
would hardly be fitted for the job.
Borah bitterly opposed to the
League of Nations and to the World
Court suggests no agency through
which coordinated effort may he ap-
piled to the situation and restraint
be imposed on aggression. He would
have this country as much a lone
figure as himself, standing aloof and
preaching without any practical
method for wisely putting into
practice that which Is preached.
This habit of preaching without
practising interferes with any wise
practise on the part Of others. So
it is not clear that Borah has help
ed and there are grounds for appre-
henston that he may have hindered
Tho other dav If was announced