Evening star., 1932-09-11
THE CHINESE RENAISSANCE
BY FREDERIC J. HASKlN.

It has been the experience Of the
world that each period Of recession and
economic disorder has been followed
by the appearance OF some huge new
task, in the performance Of which old
woes have been forgotten and long
strides have been taken away from de-
preston. Students Of the East are In
clined to feel that the new task pre-
senting itself to the world today Is the
remaking Of China, the most populous
nation in the world and In many re-
spects, the most backward.
The task presents itself especially 10
America. One hundred years ago, when
China first was being opened to the
trade Of the world, 1t was America that
assumed the leadership. True. more
British capital, more British pioneering
was done in those years, but the COM
munication and the TRANSFORMATION
which linked the East with the Occi-
dent fell largely into American hands.
It was the day Of the clipper ship, the
fastest sailing vessels ever devised by
man. At first the New England ship
masters and traders. the merchants of
Boston and New York, captured the
trade itself away from competitors by
the speed Of their feet clippers. Soon
the British realized that to have an
enectual hand In the game they must
seek American help. 50 they employed
Yankee clippers to carry their trade
goods and IS many American nag ves-
sells piled between British and Chinese
ports as between American and Chi
nese ports. It will be seen that 1t was
American enterprise which was putting
life into the trade.
So, now, after q lcentury's lapse. II
seems to be again the turn Of Americans
to take the lead In the Chinese renais-
sance. This Is largely inevitable be-
cause 1t Is to America that the Chinese,
Of their own volition. are turning
When, in the midst Of the World War,
the Chinese revolution took place
overthrowing the ancient empire. the
republican form of government exem-
piified by the United States was the
model seized upon by the new dicta-
tors. Thousands Of young Chinese had
been educated In this country and
thousands Of Chinese resident here had
sent back to the homeland tales Of
American progress and prosperity
America was an ideal to such China
men as cared about anything at all
beyond the days bowl Of rice and cup
Of tea.
American Ways Adopted.
American adventurers. carpet -baggers
IL you will, have been going out TO
China ever since the Boxer time and
the days Of the empire in the Philip
pines. Like o. Henry's gentle CRATER
they found play for their wits in this
distant land. They have not invari-
ably done China good, but they. as
well as more dignif1ed Representatives
Of Occidental civilization, have served
20 inculcate in Chinese minds the West
ern idea. So it has happened that
China turns to the American model
Perhaps the most striking testimony
to this Chinese emulation Is the fact
that China, at Shanghai, today Is the
only place In the world where any
thing comparable 10 the typical
American skyscraper can be found. In
Paris, London, Berlin and the other
great cities of the world buildings
are kept nearer the ground. In China
alone, outside Of the United States
does one ind the 2o-story once struc-
ture and hotel. It IL to be expected
that 20 stories are to follow In the
natural course Of development.
These structures are not solely the
work Of American investors and op-
orators In China. The Chinese bsisi-