The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-05-03
Why Not Join US, John?

Once again our British cousins are after u.s. ham,
and tongs, to drag us into war with China re-
CARELESS.
The London press, taking its from the for
eign office continues it's yelled, but nevertheless
unmistakable criticism, of own policy plainly
sore because we refuse to join the British in crush
ing young China.
The Shanghai press, notably the North China
Daily News, leading British daily in the far east
frankly accuses the United States of having de
serted it's allies
Why all this pother? Britain is amply able to
wipe NChina off the map any time she takes the
notion She's licked China before and she can do
it again. She took Hongkong by force, made China
buy opium from India whether she wanted it or not
and generally has had her way out there for the
better part of century.
Why should Britain hang back now, if she has
a real for war, simply because the United
States, not having cause for war; refuses to join
her?
The answer is simplicity itself Britain knows
in her heart she has no just cause for war China
and that her real desire is to crush the spirit of
Chinese nationalism, stop all progress and keep the
country it has been for centuries the easy prey
Of stronger powers with schemes for despciling her.
Naturally Britain hestates to embark alone up
any such cold blooded expedition. She wants COM
pany. She does not wish to incur the everlasting
hatred of the Chinese all by herself. Particularly
does she want to drag us in, because she is aware
that up to the present friendship for China has
been traditional and the Chinese know it and like
for it.
British tactics just now are scarcely compli-
ment to our intelligence. We have acted fully up to
the standards of proud nation, conscious of United
States rights in China and of its might to protect
them strictly in keeping with perfectly good
code of national honor. We need no diplomatic
Emily Posts to tell us how to behave and it is
hardly ftering to say the least to have the Brit
ish to do the theory, apparently, that we've
been grossly insulted and don't know it.
This newspaper firmly believes in British
American friendship and cooperation. If it had
hobby that would it. To hold the close tie that
exists between the Engishspeaking world is one
Of the most encouraging manifestations, interna-
tonaly speaking in the world today. We will even
go so far to say consider that friendship
precious boon to Misunderstanding, however, we
use it as an aid to world peace and not gigantic
combination for the exploitation of weaker peoples
DESERVING our allies" indeed 1t is matter of
pride that we have allied ourselves with the ex-
poiters of China, and long we continue in our
right mind, we never will.
Heaven not in ours-for the foreign office to call
in the press and give It the tone that government
wishes it to take in international matters Here,
then is where Ambassador Houghton, our represent
alive in London, might do and the British good
service. Unofficially and casually he might sug-
gest to Downing street three things:
First, that inspired propaganda criticisng
America and telling her what to do and what not to
do in China is getting nowhere In this country
Second, that it is not helping the cause of
Anglo-American friendship very much and, third
speaking Of cooperation, what's the matter with
John Bull cooperating with Uncle Sam to uplift and
encourage China rather than Uncle Sam cooperat-
ing with John Bull to sit her and hold her down
Things like that are done And it's real di-
pomacy, too In fact, it is of it's very essence be-
cause 1t makes for good will and better under
standing.