TROUBLE BREWING IN THE EAST.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 9336, 28 December 1901, Page 2

TROUBLE BREWING IN THE EAST.

CHINA IS NOT CARRYING OUT THE PEACE POLICY.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1. International action looking to the prohibition of the importation Into China of munitions of war and all material for the manufacture thereof must be taken, if the peace of tbe world is not to be disturbed by another outbreak m the Celestial Empire. 1 This is the opinion of high officials based upon information they have received. It is expected that Minister Conger, m concert with his colleagues of the diplomatic corps m Peking,*will maJte earnest representations to Prince Chin* and Yuan Shih Kai, with a view to compelling the Chinese Government to stopimporting munitions of war and material to be used m connection with their manufacture. . • The Chinese have not forgotten the temporary successes they achieved, first m driving back, to Tientsin the foreign column under command of Vice Admiral Seymour, and m holding the native city of Tientsin, and they believe that if well armed they will m another war with the hated foreigners have a better chance of success. To prevent rearmament and the resumption of hostilities against the West, the foreign Ministers m Peking inserted m the peace protocol a provision requiring China to stop the importation of munitions of war and materials for the manufacture thereof for a period of two years, and it was. further provided that the prohibition should continue for two additional years if the powers deemed it necessary. Instead of enforcing the provision of the protocol, China ha* eagerly opened her ports to foreign munitions of war, and material for the manufacture thereof. ' The United' States is m a somewhat embarrassing position m this matter, owing to the fact that the President has no authority to prevent shipment by American merchants of war munitions to China. Certainly they could not be stopped from sending to China materials used m- the manufacture of rifles and ammunition, because these materials are also employed f ° r °™ c * Purposes. It is probable that the President • and Secretary Hay will seriously consider the advisability ofi securing legislation under which the importation of arms to China, at least, can ba Stopped.