Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-04
An Asiatic LocarnO.


In the recent discussion of Chinese
affairs and the immediate crislS by
Minister SEE, and in the reported com
ment of the representatives OF the
Canton and Picking governments the
possibility was suggested of the APP
pointment simultaneously Of co-operat-
ing delegates by South and North
China, with power to negotiate
new treaties with the nations that
have material interests in China.
If it is conceivable that South China
and North China can, while civil war
is raging, cooperate to negotiate
treaties of equality and justice with
Europe and America, the end sought
can be surely attained. It will he as
sumed that the government OF South
China can and Will carry out the
treaty agreements in South China and
that the North China government can
and will perform similar function in
North China. In dealing with the two
Chinas at one time the foreign nations
namely, organized power. or powers,
which can. singly or collectively, con
troll and speak with authority Tor all
OF China, and which. cooperating. may
confidently he relied upon to meet the
obligations of protection and justice
imposed by the new treaties. More
over. this cooperation of the two
Chinas. if effected, viii put behind the
Chinese representations the convinc-
ing force of power to compel assent, If
1t is not voluntarily granted. United
China. if able and ready to respect and
protect the rights of the foreigner.
can shape it's internal affairs on lines
of justice to suit itself. All nations
will negotiate, and no nation trading
with China, and having many nationals
resident there, will expose itself TO the
effective China boycott. or venture to
attack it with armed force.
But if the two Chinas will not thus
get together solely for the purpose Of
negotiating just treaties with the for
eign nations then the old dilemma re-
wives to veX and iniure.
On first thought it might seem that
the remarkable success of South
China's campaign for the subjugation
Of Central China, with the threat
of a like fate for North China. points
to the unified China and the respon-
sible dominating central government
which the United States has been seek
ing in order to put into effect its SYM
pathetic and helpful policy of ''Fair
play for China to which it is thor
oughly and sincerely committed.
But actual conditions as they are de-
veloping do not justify complete opti-
mism. If Canton conquers Shanghai
the world may be required to recog-
nize a Canton-H ankow- Shanghai near
bolshevik government. as well as a
Mukden- Picking government. But who
is confident that Canton will subdue
Picking and Mukden, or permanently
control Shanghai? The reported mass
ing Of Chang Tso-lin troops to cooper
ate with WI Pei-fu's reorganized army
in an attack upon Hankow suggests
that the solution of our problem of
wise treaty-making may suffer addi-
tional delay, to await the result of a
great battle between South and North
China at or near Hankow
All the world may well hope and
pray for the day when at another Lo-
carno Europe and China with Amer
lea sympathetic and cooperating can
get together TO establish genuine
world peace, or at least, to eliminate
threatening cause of world war. on
the basis of the existence of stable, ac-
tually controlling government, or gov
ernments. i'm China, and through the
framing Of just treaties by negotiators
comforting on equal terms.