Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-21
US. ENVOY TOASK
ATTITUDE ON CHINA
MacMurray on Way Here to
Hold Conference With
Secretary Kellogg.
BIZ DREW PEARSON.

Secretary kelloggs warning tina
American miSSiOna rieS must not re
turn to China coupled with the fracas
in which the British became embrofled
this week when one of their air
planes came down on Chinese soil
has once more focused attention
upon China. and especially upon the
Homecoming of John Van A. Mac
Murray, American Minister in Pek
ing. 1t is current gossip around State
Department halls that Mr.. MacMur
raw will either tender his resignation
when he returns or demand assur'
ances that his policy will be support
ed in the future.
Aside from Mr.. MacMurray's home
coming. the fresh outbreak in China
need not be taken too seriously. Inc
Chinese skyrockot. which always goes
up in the Summer, invarlably comes
down in the Fall, and the taVorlte
sport of British and American resi-
dents about this time of year is bet
ting upon the date when the Autumn
dliye"-to use pigeon English, VIII
begin. Usually it does not start uhlH
the crops are in, because no chinese
general likes to lose face with the
farmers by nfussing up their fielos'
Chanc's Treasury Replenishes.
The early start this year pronaniy
was caused by the fact that 1nid ane
Tso.lin recently received lo'oue'VSo
van $4,000 .000) as his share OF tile
.oe+s NJ tho Chinese Eastern Rail-
road. ,uoo;a noe
with money TO bolster the allegiance
ne his soldiers Chiang's forces now
have advanced to the YangtZe RlVer'
where they have retaken most OF me
Ground lost to the Nationalist laSt
Spring. and are threatening ShahSna,'
II was this Nationalist defeat which
caused the British airplane lncldehl.
The Nationalists. who still control
Shanghai, wanted an excuse 10 save
face" for their series OF deteats d.
the hands of Chang Tso-Lln, ana
by far the best excuse in all such
cases is to blame it on the foreigners:
The wings of the plane were selzed
and held until the British had cur
The railroad line 10 Hangchow and
until the popular Chinese mind had
been reused to the point OF believing
that the British were cooperating
with Chang Tso-Lin against the Ma
tionalists, thus giving the latter an
excuse for defeat. Then the wings
were restored.
All of these things will be reported
in detail by Mr.. MacMurray. who
rallied from Yokohama last Thurs
day. But the chief subject to be dis
cussed with Mr.. MacMurray is
whether or not he has become persona
non grata with the leading Chinese
of all factions because of his advocacy
of armed reprisals after the Marking
affair last Spring. In this. Secretary
kellogg failed to back him up.
Won Secretaries Confidence.
Mr.. MacMurray. it will be recalled. |
had for several years practically |
dictated the Chinese policy of the |
United States, first as chief of the |
Far Eastern division and then as AS !
sistant Secretary of State. He did an |
excellent job and won the confidence |
of Secretary Hughes and later of |
Secretary kellogg.
AS Minister to China his advice was |
also followed for the most part until |
ihe Marking affair. Here Mr.. Mac |
Murray. together with the British and |
Japanese Ministers in Picking, drew |
up identic notes denla nding apologies |
and inden1nities Of the Chinese author. !
tiles for foreigners killed at Marking |
and naming a date after which. If |
their demands were not complied with, |
the powers threatened military inter. |
vention. The notes. before being pre-
scented to the Chinese, were cabled to-
Washington, Toxic and London for
approval.
But so confident was Mr.. MacMur-
ray that his advice, hitherto followed |
without question by the State Depart.
ment, again would be followed that he
to censor press dispatch
from Washington stating that Secre
tary Kellogg would not support him. /