Evening star., 1932-10-22
THE LIBRARY TABLE
BY SARAH C. BOWERMAN.

THE T1nder BOX OF Asia" by George
T. Sokolsky, Is not merely informa-
tive, but Is also clarifying. 1t spreads
out the complicated problems of China,
Japan and Russia with relation to
each other, like a map, and the reader
begins to find that he is Keeping the
different revolutionary movements dis
tinct, that he remembers the achieve
ments of Ii Yuan-hung, Yuan Shih-
kai, Feng Yu-hsiang. WI Pei-fu, Chang
Tso-lin, Yen Shih-shan, Tang Chi-yao,
Chen Chiung-min and all the other war
lords and statesmen. Perhaps what es-
pecially gives Mr.. Sokolsky's narrative
and analysis clarity is that he writes
from much personal experience. Il
have characterized individuals as l
have known them" In his preface he
explains why he has written book on
Manchuria, when so many books on
ten. He says he believes he has man
aged somehow to bring China out of
the realm of mystery and into the
world OF economic, political and social
forces. I have tried to show that the
Chinese and Japanese are not just
Orientals, but people; that they are
moved by much the same causes as
other human beings that they are
going through the same processes of
economic and political evolution. and
even revolution, as other peoples. But
the tempo and the emphasis have been
different in Asia"
Some Of Mr.. Sokolsky's chapter titles
are significant and the subjects indi-
Gated are discussed with great frank
ness and respect for facts-"The For
eign Stake in China" The American
in China 10 In, ho
Sum" Russia in China" "A War That
Was Called Peace" World Peace at
Stake" Communism in China" China,
in the eyes Of foreign nations, including
the United States, lis essentially a
market for the investment of surplus
capital. for the sale of goods and for
| the purchase Of raw materials" But
none of the nations which covet the
trade Of China wish to colonize Even
Japan has not attempted to coloniZe
Manchuria and the objective of her
economic penetration was the pro-
vision Of specific raw materials. par
ticul3rly food supplies and coal and
iron" Foreign domination in China has
for long been accomplished by means of
| treaty ports, settlements and conces-
slons. There are altogether about 80
cities which are open to foreign resi-
dence and trade. some of these being
maIts and customs stations. but only
l9 are permitted, under treaties, to
nave concessions and settlements.
Many of them are not ports at all. but
are far inland in the interior of China"
Great Britain, France, Italy and Japan
now hold concessions in China; before
the World War Germany and Austria
had concessions and before the Soviet
revolution Russia had concessions. The
States eli hut
by treaties enjoys all rights and privi-
legeS granted by treaty to other powers
The policy of the United States With
regard to China has included two
points: First, cooperation with other
powers economically or politically in
China, provided that such cooperation
Goes not involve the partition OF China
or the erection Of barriers to China's
progress; and secondly. that the open
door policy-that is, that the free equal
opportunity for all trading nations to
trade on a competitive, non -monopo-
lstic basls-shall be inviolate"
Mr.. Sokolsky's chapter Russia in
emma gives one phase of the 'tinder
boX situation. With common frontier
about 1000 miles long. from Central
Asia to Vladivostok China and Russia
can hardly avoid having close relations
pleasant or unpleasant. They have had
trade relations since the thirteenth
century Mongolia. extending from
China proper to Siberia, has been for
many years the scene of struggle be-
tween Russia and China. "During the
closing years of the Manchu regime, the
rulers Of China realized that Russian
encroachments in Mongolia might reach
such dimensions that China would lose
this territory" This fear has been
realized. BY q treaty between Russia
and China, signed in 1915. China lost
| everything in Mongolia except face"
Russia's next objective was Chinese
TurkeStan, called by the Chinese
Sinkiang. 1t is a country rich in
minerals. 1t still remains Chinese but
its cultural and commercial afiliations
are with the Soviet Republics. Since
1896 and the treaty negotiated BY NJ.
/ Wltte and Ii Hung Chang. Russia has
had a stake in Manchuria, chiefly repre-
sented by the Chinese Eastern Railway.
Mr.. Sokolsky concludes his discussion
t of Russia in China by the following
We have discussed three lines of Rus
! sian penetration into China through
Manchuria, Mongolia and Turkestan.
There is fourth route on which Rus
sia is more aggressive. more penetrating.
more powerful That route is Com
munist propaganda" His conclusion as
regards China's future is. The future
of China divided between Communists
in the South and feudal lords in the
North, with foreign troops at Shanghai
and in Manchuria. is not a pleasing
spectacle. 1t means years of civil
warfare"
Democracy is again called in ques-
ton by a thoughtful writer and states
man, Jose Ortega y Gasset, in his book
The Revolt of the Masses translated
from the Spanish. Ortega is q member
OF the Parliament of the new Spanish
government and professor of meta
physics at Madrid University. His con-
ception of the masses" Is not that Of
social distinction He means by
masses" all those individuals, whatever
their wealth or social position, who de
mand nothing special of themselves :"
The mas is all that which sets no value
on itself-good or ill-baSed on specific
grounds. but which feels itself Just like
everybody and nevertheless is not con-
cerned about it; is, in fact. quite happy
to feel itself as one with everybody
else" The rule of the world by the
mass mind, instead of by the best minds,
Is WIldI u lHS HldllSE VIII TIE wOIlu.
| \
Across Lapland with Sledge and
Reindeer" by Olive Murray Chapman,
tells of the adventure Of . young Eng
lishwoman who finds vacations along
beaten routes of travel hardly worth
while. Her visit to Lapland was in the
Winter. Her luggage included cameras:
painting equipment and Q collection OF
Woolworth bead necklaces. Trains and
boats took her easily over the first part
of her journey, the part Travelled by
many others, from England. by way OF
Oslo and Trondhjem, to Hammerfest.
There she left tourist ways and took q
wished to visit 9 famed yearly Lapp
fair. She next went to Karosjok, by
sledge and reindeer, for the Easter cele,-,
bration. There she saw Lapps. from all
the most northern parts and was guest
at many festivities. including several
\. he,