Evening star., 1948-12-10

pany, 1914; and The Presidential Vote 1885,
1882" by Edgar E. Robinson, Stanford UNI
versity Press WILLIAM L. PATTERSON.
Christmas Truce in China
To the Editor Of The Star:
The causes of Chinas present tragic plight
and the past role Of America in helping to
bring this about can be better understood If
we recall the statement of Bishop Ralph A.
Ward of the Methodist Episcopal Church, ex-
pressed in a letter sent from Shanghai just
about II years ago. The November 80,
1899 issue of Foundry Facts, published by the
Foundry Methodist Church, contained q sum,
mary OF Bishop Wards letter, quoted as fol-
lows, because it explains why 10 many
Chinese are following the leadership of the
so-called Peoples Liberation Movement" also
called the Reds:
THE ship which brought us to China Gin
1880, owned and controlled by the American
Government, spent many hours In harbors Of
Japan unloading scrap iron, scrap steel, and
scrap tin and cotton. That means more REIN
forcements for the Japanese) invaders OF
China. America is still valuable ally against
the democracy OF Eastern Asia. Under such con-
ditions we of the Christian church go forward
at our tasks"
Bishop Ward was shocked by this incon-
sistency Of American missionaries like him.
self, going among the Chinese people to
preach Christian love and brotherhood when
at the same time the United States Govern
ment was permitting American businessmen
to sell war materials to Japan to be used
against the Chinese people and later against
ourselves. The editors of Foundry Facts added
the following commentary to the sincere and
heartfelt word of Bishop Ward:
He goes back to minister in the spirit OF
the Master to the stricken, exploited outraged
Chinese people. From America he brings the
sympathy, the prayers, the hopes and the prac-
tical aid OF American Christians. But think
Of the inconsistent. incongruous, unchristian
significance of this paragraph in his letter.
We add, how under the shining stars can
Christian leaders from America like Bishop
Ward explain to these wonderful Chinese peo-
pie, the victims Of ruthless Gapanese) bar
barity, that while the missionaries come from
America, so do also the death-dealing weapons
which are hurled by the invaders from the
sky upon defenseless civilians, demoishing
Cities mangling human bodies-a rain OF
death and destruction-and all that made in
America"
Neglect Of Chinese Deplored.
If 10 or Is years ago we had taken seriously
the pleadings and warnings Of such sincere
friend Of the Chinese people as Bishop Ward
then the Chinese people would not have lost
faith in us and then they would not have fol-
lowed in desperation the Chinese Red "Peo-
pies Liberation Movement" which led the peo-
Piles resistance against the japanese invaders
The results of our foolishly selling war ma
terials to the Japanese from 1881 to 1941 and
our not giving enough aid to China before World
War II are now apparent. Now our inter-
vention would only add fuel to the con-
1agration and the Chinese people on both sides
of their civil war would blame us for the con-
tinuation of the bloodshed.
Perhaps we would gain more respect If we
tried our hands at mediating the Chinese con-
flict. In 1905, We were the peacemakers IN
the Russo-Japanese War that ragged in Man
churia and thereby we won the respect OF
not only the Japanese and the Russians but
Of the whole world. The Treaty Of Portsmouth,
New Hampshire, ended that Asiatic war. Why
could not President Truman and Secretary Mar
shall take up the roles Of peacemakers and
try to bring the bloody Chinese war to an end?
Or at least why not attempt to bring about
a temporary Christmas truce or armistice In
China (as we'll as In Palestine and Berlln), so
that divided families could be reunited pris-
oners could be exchanged, medical supplies
could be distributed to control epidemics, to
distribute relief supplies to suffering civilians,
women and children, and perhaps to evacuate
the suffering people of besieged cities If the
United States does not want to take the
initiative in arranging this Christmas truce
in fighting all over the world, then let the
United Nations or the International Red Cross
take the first steps. If mass epidemics are
allowed to break out samong the teemlng
millions of China's people, new Black Death
may sweep around the earth and threaten
even America and Europe Let us send med
icines, anti-epidenic vaccines and serums to
China to stop the spread of epidemics which
may engulf even our people. Let us send medical
missions of mercy to China, not death-dealing
weapons Let us arrange first Christmas
truce and then try to find the basis for lasting
peace in China. Blessed are the peace
makers!'
METHODIST FRIEND OF CHINA.
Co.Operative Racket Deplored
To the Editor Of The Star:
The selling of apartments on the "co-opera-
tive" plan has been checked In New York, and
other States are adopting methods to prevent
the wholesale eviction Of good tenants. who are
unwilling or unable to purchase so-called per
petual" leases at extravagant figures.
It is high time that some teeth were put IN
the District of Columbia rent control law In
regard to this cooperative racket, which Is
direct challenge to democracy.