Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-08


States shall be permitted to rent and
to lease in perpetuity. as the prop
erty Of such societies. buildings OF
lands in all parts of the empire FOL
missionary purposes"
Since the treaty was ratified China
in 1912. changed from monarchy te
a republic. but the treaty remains tr
force until the two high contracting
PARTIES agree upon revision. II
illustrates what the missionaries now
call unequal" treaties. or treaties ir
which Americans are given special
rights in China. and enjoy. under
other provisions of the treaty, the
right to have their own courts and
other extraterritorial privileges.
Within the last few years. particu
larry since the present Nationalist up
rising in China. missionaries have
been reaching the conclusion that the
original treaty privileges given tc
ground to- protect them in the enjoy
ment Of these privileges. are not In
complete harmony with Christian
idealism. The Chinese themselves
notably the element educated In
schools, have charged that
the so-called 'imperialistic" nations
use missionaries as a wedge with
which not only TO force Christianity
upon the Chinese, but to extend trade
relations.
Many Seek Revision.
Many requests from American mis-
sion boards for the revision OF the
treaties already have been made to
the Department Of State and direct
to the President. Now 1t is proposed
that step ahead OF this be taken
by the missionaries-namely. TO go
into China with the understanding
that the Government viii not send
Marines or warships to rescue them
IL they get into peril.
During the latter part OF 1895 and
all through 1927. the Government
urged missionaries to leave all In
terror posts in China and concentrate
In the ports where protection could
be given. Before some of the mis-
sionaries could do this they suffered
indignities and hardships at the
hands of the Chinese. and at Nam
king. on March "a. 1897. one leading
American missionary was killed and
about twoscore had a narrow escape
from massacre. American and Brit.
ish gunboats opened a barrage that
made possible their escape.
Sixteen missionaries In that expe.
rience drew up a resolution In Shang-
hal a few weeks afterward. In which
they frankly admitted that they had
been disappointed In the promises OF
by the Chinese National.
lists and expressed grateful apprecia-
ton OF the protective efforts OF the
This group represented
six denominations. and their state
ment included the following:
"Out OF our own flrst-hand expe-
Renee and observation. we unequivo.
raliy affirm that tllOs1 outrages were
committed bysurmed Nationalist sol.
diers In uniform. who acted with the
and approval OF superior
officers. II Ia our conviction that the
bring from the naval vessels prevent.
ed the murder of many foreigners
Warned Of Civil War.
The State Department has been ad-
vising against the return OF mission
aries to isolated interior points In
China, because the civil war Ia even
more chaotic now than IL was last
year. American policy being limit
ed strictly to protection OF It's ciu-
Gems. there was anxiety In Washing
ton over Americans who might ven.
lure Tar inland in China. where rescue
efforts would be exceedingly difhculf
and involve movements on Chinese
soil. which washington wishes to
avoid.
one way in which the missionaries
could efyectuate their desire to show
their confidence in the Chinese has
been pointed out. They could put all
mission property under Chinese cor
porations, and then II the property
were consscated or destroyed. as has
happened frequently In the last IL
months. the United States Government
could not interfere. But 30 long as
the missionaries own the property
through American organizations the
Of its obligations. takes steps to obtain
redress.
The value OF mission property owned
by American boards or societies In
China has been estimated az high %
SIS .0ge 900. This includes schools and
hospitals an well ~ strictly church
property. Some of the missionary sta.
lions are hundreds Ut miles in the IN
terror, far from railroads.
willingness Of the United Sfntes 10
REVISE treaties has been expressed by
Washington. but this has been predl'
Gated upon tke establishment In China
of q central government. which could
sneak for all China. Al present there
sre two main factors and n dozen
Ninaiicf ones which assume 10 repre-
geu. Chinese opinion. Tho Western
fsowera continue 10 recognize Picking
as TIC capita! and 10 stand upon exist
ing treaties until new treaties are ne
got.ated with n Chinese government
giving promise OF ability to make good
It's obligations.
Would Not Waive Protection.
In any new treaty the United ssaies
could eliminate tho federation clause
and Withdraw special privileges for
missionaries. putting them snd buzz.
ness Americans on the same footing.
sow the business Americana have
treaty protection In only 60 socailed
treaty ports and some Il other piaeea
voluntarily opened TO trade by the
Chinese, whereas the missions ries ~
shown. are at liberty TO operate any
where In china's 4.390, 900 square miles
of territory.
But whatever provisions new
treaty may contain there seems to be
40 way In which the United States de
iiberateiy could agree 10 waive equa
protection fol missionar ies. The degrees
" protection q government gives III
citizens may vary; that such protee
ton As may be given shall be equa
~ sli Americans is fundamental In
American law. III tho time comes that
governments win not uss force TO pro
tect their eittzens abroad, such a pol
icy will extend uniformly ~ ali, not bs
a special policy for cIhss, In the opin
Ton III competent observers here.
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Cologne Excavations