Evening star., 1927-03-25
Crisis in China.

Red Russia is perilously near sue
cess in it's efforts to embroil China
with the nations of Western Europe
and with America. Conditions now
prevailing at Marking involves the
serious danger of such a conflict. Only
the firm action by the Cantonese COM
manders for the protection of Ameri-
cans, British and other foreigners in
the country can avert it. If the Can
tonese government. which is now on
trial before the world. is unwilling or
unable to check the anti-foreign mobs,
stirred by Russian propaganda
against all foreigners. there seems no
way out of actual war.
A condition and not a theory pre-
sents itself in China. Hundreds of
foreigners are at the mercy of the
mobs and of defeated, uncontrolled
Chinese soldiery. The United States
Government has taken a stand that
American lives must be protected in
China. 1t will go through with that
proposition. Already this Govern
ment has assembled naval forces in
Chinese waters, and today additional
naval vessels are under orders to
hurry to the scene of trouble. This
country will not sit idly by while its
citizens are slaughtered in China or
elsewhere. 1t will applaud the use
by the Government of the armed
forces to protect American men, wom-
en- and children.
The United States is a traditional
friend of China. 1t has taken a lead in
the effort to bring about a China for
the Chinese" 1t went \far along this
road in the Washington conference in
1921.22, dealing with questions Of 'the
Pacific. But the forces operating in
China today apparently threaten to
follow the Russian route, rather than
that recommended by the United
States. Red Russia, repelled in It's
enerts TO overthrow the governments
of Western Europe and to undermine
that of the United States, has turned
to the Orient. If it can succeed in
aligning the Chinese as q nation
against Europeans and Americans, it
sees an opportunity for the spread of
its own power. There is nothing al
truistic about Red Russia.
The pity of the whole situation lies
in the fact that it Is the hand of Rus
sia that is forcing today the murder
of foreigners in China and threaten
ing a war between the powers and
China, which, if 1t comes, will result
in thousands, perhaps millions, of lost
lives, and which may yet engage
many nations not now involved.
Within the last day nine additional
American warships have been ordered
20 China to augment the squadron of
tweBty-one vessels now under COM
mand there of Admiral c. S. Williams.
At any moment the news may be
flashed that those forces already in
Chinese waters have opened fire on
attacking mobs. The country can
only wait. TIE Government fortu.
nately is pursuing a firm course in its
determination to safeguard Ameri
cans. Its primary duty is to protect
life and property, and the present
emergency is full justification of it's
action in getting forces in position to
serve in case of need. The govern
ments" of China have all promised to
preserve order, but have failed. There
1s In this immediate situation no ques
ton of the future relations of the
United States with China, only that OF
safeguarding the lives of American
nationals who are exposed to peril
have, indeed. already in some numbers
perished-because Of the failure OF
government there.