Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-02

LEX,
Major General. United States Marine Corps.
(Copyright, 1929. by North American News
paper Allianceo
We went to China early in 1927 as an
invading force, ready and prepared
and many of us exceedingly anxious
for scrap, but we remained to become
unofficial goodwill ambassadors and
trade ENJOYS.
Today I have different ideas about
the Chinese people and the Americans
who make their homes in China. The
two years l spent there on our blood
less invasion" caused me to change my
mind.
When I saw Chinese during these
two years 1 looked upon him as a
friend of our people. I didn't think of
him as one who might at any moment
turn fanatic and start to butcher for
eigners. I thought of him as a poten-
tial user of American-made merchan-
disc, as a citizen of a huge country
which will in the future take up our
surplus of manufactured products and
permit us at home to continue to enjoy
our great prosperity.
My hard-boiled ideas are gone. These
citizens of the United States have gone
out to China in good faith, representing
our business and extending our trade.
Some time we will need the trade
these people are getting for us.
They are our flesh and blood, and when
they are in danger we must protect
them, regardless of the cost.
We can't ask them to pack up their
bags and come home at the first sign
of trouble. Everything they own is out
there. If they left hurriedly at the
first indication of possible difficulty
they would not only lose all their
earthly possessions, but the confidence
and esteem of the Chinese.
Whatever trade they have built up
by their efforts would be lost to US.
When quiet was restored and they re-
turned they would find that the other
foreign nationals, who had remained,
protected by their troops. had gopbled
up all the trade, and the Americans
would have to start anew.
Other of our citizens are out there
as missionaries; they are spreading the
gospel of Christ, teaching the Chinese
the fundamentals of our educational
methods and aiding them in the work
of health and sanitation. We cannot
ask them to leave at every sign of
danger. They have the confidence of
the Chinese people and they must re-
main behind, regardless of the danger,
to keep that confidence. So every once
in a while We read that in some far
interior post, a thousand miles from
missionary has been murdered by BAN
dts.
A Courageous Missionary.
But these missionaries will not come
to a safe haven when we ask them. I
remember a missionary who suited me
right down to the ground. I think he
would have made a great Marine. He
had mission way out in the inte-
Tinr anA he in to rTicntcao
time for supplies. He told me he was
the only American in the entire prov
ince 1 informed him that we had no
way of'protecting him If trouble should
start and asked him to come to 1ien-
tsin or Shanghai, where he would be
safe.
Come in out of that place" urged
him. "All you are leaving behind is
your hut. Come into Tientsin or Shans-
hal where we can protect you. The
storm will soon be over and you can go
back"
He looked at me and said: IT am
spreading the doctrine of Christianity
and I am doing it IN the same way
Jesus did, and I don't recall that he had
bodyguard. If my religion is worthy
of support it doesn't have to be dashed
down by a bayonet. I will stay out
there and have it out with them" No
one harmed him.
The task of the Marines in China
was to protect the lives of the Amer
leans. The 5000 Marines we had there
represented the largest mobilization OF
American troops on the soil OF friend
ly nation since the World War.
During the entire tWo-year period OF
our visit these Marines, reputedly SO
blood-thirsty and flght-provoking. and
actually so in battle, did not fire single
shot, except at target practice-and the
Chinese government built the rifle range |
on ground it lent to us.
With my staff reached Shanghai, at
the mouth of the YangtZe River. March
IS, 1927, being preceded by the 4th Reg
iment of Marines. which had been or
dered to China from the Philippines
several days before the unfortunate
Marking incident had occurred.
When the Nationalist, or Southern
Army, which We were eventually to see
emerge victorious in the struggle for
control of the huge republic, took over
Marking. the ancient capital of China,
and now once more the seat of the gov
eminent, it marked the loss Of the last
stronghold of the Northern Army south
of the Yangtze River.
The Outbreak in Marking.
In the rioting and looting which fol-
lowed the evacuation OF one army and
the occupation by the other seven for
eigners. including one American, DR.. j.
H. Williams, vice president of Marking
University, were killed, scores were as
saulted, beaten and robbed, and several
foreign consulates, including that of the
United States were attacked.
Gunboats of the allied powers, which
were lying in the Yantzekiang, "the
River Son of the Sea-" shelled the city,
while relief columns under cover of the
friendly barrage rescued the several
hundred foreigners who had sought ref
uge with the Socony Co. during the ter
rible days of rioting.
At the same time the situation in
Shanghai, the most important port in
Central China, with its thousands Of
Europeans Japanese and Americans,
and the concentration or refuge point
for foreigners for the entire area, was
also fraught with danger.
March 81 the Nationalist army had
occupied the city and the residents OF
the international settlement and the
French concession were fearful Of out
breaks similar to that of Marking.
Twenty thousand allied troops. includ-
ing the 1900 men of the 4th Regiment
Marines were on constant guard in the
concessions lest mobs of uncontrolled
and undisciplined troops break through
the lines and sack and plumber, attack
and kill.
on the evening of the day reached
Shanghai to assume command OF the
Marines, who were then in China and
who were to come, the high military
and naval representatives of the powers
represented in China, including Great
Britain, France, Japan, Italy and Bel
giunl, gathered on the u. s. s. Pitts
burgf, the flagship of Rear Admiral
G. S. williams, commanding the United
states Asiatic fleet. The other powers
4 ~, of