Evening star., 1927-05-15
FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF AMERICA
RETURN TO TRANQUIL BASIS
Coolidge Prepares for Vacation Convinced That
Danger of Possible ''Explosion''
Has Been Passed.

now plain that American policy in
China has achieved almost as historic
a triumph as it did when John Hay,
more than 25 years ago, induced the
powers to accept the American prin
ciple of the open door. The United
States victory came about at the end
of April. What our Government &C.
| complished, 1t seems not too much
to say, was prevention of armed in.
tervention by the outside world in
China's civil war. The United States,
Great Britain. Japan, France and
Italy had sent identic notes to Eu-
gene Chen, foreign minister of the
Contoness Nationalist government, at
Hankow. These powers demanded
specific action by the Hankow gov.
ernment in satisfaction of the out.
RACES upon foreigners at Nanking.
The identic notes threatened distinct
reprisals in the event the Cantonese
Nationalists refused the powers de.
mands. Chen replied in evasive
terms.
The Peking Ministers Of the five
protesting powers were unit in
recommending that steps should forth
with be taken to bring Chen and the
Hankow government to book. In
other words, the Peking envoys call.
ed upon their home governments to
beat words into deeds.
The Coolidge administration prompt.
ly and unqualifiedly put it's foot down
upon the proposal to apply sane.
tions' against the Cantonese; that is
to say, to use force. Such force would
inevitably have plunged the United
States into war in China. The 1,40O
Marines and Infantrymen now sta
toned at Peking and Tientsin, and
the 5000 or more Marines and blue
jackets, now on American. ships at
Shanghai and at Hankow and other
river points. would undoubtedly by
now have been fighting, if the Peking
diplomats policy of sanctions" had
been carried out.
This policy was rejected at Wash.
ington for several reasons. The prin-
cipal one Is the practical reason that
the United States is not sure Just
who the Chinese are against whom
sanctions" could be applied at this
time. Nationalist China is already
house divided against itself. Not only
Is Foreign Minister Chen at logger
heads with Field Marshal Gen. Chang
Kai Chek, but during the past few
days an entirely new and rival Ma.
tionalist government has been set up
at Marking by Chang Kai Chek, with
Wu Chao Shu as foreign minister. WI
is the son of Wu Ting-Fang. the
most celebrated Chinaman who ever
represented his country in the United
States.
Abstained From Sanctions.
But America abstained from sane
tons for the all-overshadowing rea-
son that 1t would have meant war
with, in and on China. Against any
such policy the administration is firm
ly committed. 1t is conscious that no
other policy commands, or could COM
mand, public support in this country.
1t has therefore been definitely de-
termined that the warships, Marines.
blue Jackets and soldiers we now have
in China shall strictly confine them
selves to the protection of American
citizens and of their lives and proper
ty. Our policy in particular is to safe.
guard our people in the enjoyment OF
the rights they legally possess to be
and remain In China unmolested.
These rights exist under treaties,
upon the sanctity of which the
United States insists.
OF the IL 900 or $4,000 Americans
in China at the outbreak OF the recent
troubles, probably about 5000 have
left the country. The other 5000 or
5000 have been evacuated, with
minor exceptions. to Shanghai and
other points OF safety from internal
regions so remote that protection by
our forces was impossible. Some
Americans haye returned to their
lContinn1d On Fourteenth PaEs.)
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