Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-09-14
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

China has not learned her lesson
not to attack foreigners. in spite of
the high indemnities required after
the international expedition ending
the Boxer rebellion and it's siege Of
the embassies. Now the rebels and
the loyal troops are alternately
charged with attacking the naval yes
sells Of Great Britain the Crited
States and Japan. Several British
sailors have been killed and our own
vessels have been forced to lombard
the attackers.
The trouble lies along the YangtZe
River, where the reds" have posses
sion of Hankow. The same reds
have captured two British vessels.
found above Hankow. in the YangtZe
River, and although WI Pei Flu, COM
mander- in chief, has ordered Gen.
Yang Sen, the commander who 1s
making the trouble, to cease his at
tacks on the British and to make an
amicable settlement with Admiral Ed
wyn Alexa nder Sinclair, who has ar
rived at Hankow in a cruiser, the
only response Gen. Yang Sen has made
to his chief has been to throw into
prison the messengers who brought
the orders. This indicates that he
mas lOlIleu LIE IebCl Nahum ASNN'
against WI Pei Flu, and is deter
mined to make more trouble for for
eigners.
X X
Great Britain has large CONNER
cial interests along the 1angtze
River, and missionary interests far
Their upstream. Yet the government
policy is to use the most pacific meas
\ cot nj
the powerless central government or
the province rather than resort to q
punitive expedition in a country al
ready upon the verge of anarchy.
For many years it has been the prac-
tice of the powers to act in unison
in all matters with China; no nation
takes the initiative.
Doubtless, the most exact summing
up Of the situation that has been
made Is the editorial in the North
China Daily News of last week,
cabled to America:
"All foreign relations with China
British, American. French and Japa-
nese-al-e founded upon pretense.
The policy of make believe, so care
fully sustained by the British and
American governments particularly,
is not based upon ignorance.
"They have all the essential facts
upon the state of China, but they are
not prepared to face them. The gov
eminent that faces facts in China
will find itself at once under the
burden of unpleasant responsibility,
which no one wants to shoulder, so
il is easier and more comfortable,
particularly for the diplomatic repre-
sentatives of these governments in
n
blind to the facts, and to pretend IN
all instances to accept the Chinese
make believe"
Another authority attributes the
unrest and the resentment against
foreigners to the competition Of mod
e,n motor boats in coast and river
commerce with the old-time native
sampans and junks. 1t is not the
first time that reactionar1es have
fought against modern machinery
and the conditions would not be 30
serious without the anarchistic stu
alton due to native rebellion against
the central government. and even
the provincial governments.
British naval patrols upon the
Yangtze River have been persistently
bombarded from the shores for the
last five years, and as the rebels
have not been subdued nor punished
they are growing holder. 1t is re
ported that the lives Of 500 British
business men and missionaries, who
are marooned far up the river, are in
immediate danger.
1t is officially reported that two
Americans have been wounded, but
the State Department has waited for
cooperation with the British before
taking action. There is official con-
firmation Of the attack upon the
American destroyers Stewart and
Pope, and the vessels were struck re
Aeatedly, but such attacks have heeN
frequent for Ave years.