The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 1923. THE CHAOS IN CHINA.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 94, 25 August 1923, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 1923. THE CHAOS IN CHINA.

Business men and others w'ho are naturally interested in and alarmed about the present anarchic and chaotic conditions in China naay be

afforded some satisfaction by the nows that measures to remedy those conditions were the subject of active negotiations between the <nlef Governments concerned about the end of June. The British Government took the initiative in the matter, and made, int r alia, the following proposals: 1. The international military occupation of the Peking-Tient-sin railway. 2. The organisation of a Chinese gendarmerie to be placed under the control of the Chinese Government, so that any infringement of Chinese sovereignty be avoided, but under the control of the Powers th< raselves should China decline the responsibility 3. An intcrtvationa! naval demonstration off the Chinese ports. 4. The raising of additional revenue (presumably from , the Chinese Customs) in order to defray regularly the costs of ad- ] ministration, both civilian and xnili- \ tary, under some form of internat- : ional supervision. “I gather," I wrote the Peking correspondent of j the London “Daily Telegraph.” late j in June, “that some of the foreign I Ministers at Peking had suggested * more farreaching measures. One of i these would connote a substantial increase in the Treaty ports’ international garrisons and other centres, in such a manner as to provide in certain eventualities, small international punitive or preventive forces. Yet another suggestion had for its purpose the adequate patrolling ef the principal railways. In London such meaures have so far been regarded as impracticable and unduly costly. But they may well prove to be necessary if foreign security and prestige in China are to be adequately uphelij, and they might be neither impracticable nor unduly i costly, given the proper ico-ordin-atlon and co-operation of the lead-1 ing Pacific Powers. The proposed j naval demonstration might constitute I a concrete token of Anglo-Americsn- [ Japanese solidarity. It would be a useful first step. But it might not effectively impress the Chinese forces of disorder in the interior. This view. I believe, is gaining ground in Washington and New York no less than in London. From the commercial point ‘of view, having regard to the present unsettled and dilapidated condition’ of the European markets, there fs no field worthier than China of the attention of British as of American enterprise; and no efforts should be spared towards ensuring, by the indispensable minimum of foreign control, or, more properly, supervision and assistance,

the development of China’s resources, both as a producer and a consumer. Such intervention as is contemplated would be wholly free from any Imperialistic and annexationist aims. It would not only bring relief to British trade and employment by furnishing them with new scope, but it would be equally welcome to Chinese merchants and the Chinese nation generally, excepting corrupt officials and a few hotheads. Eventually, In regard to Chinese finance, it might be advisable to en-

trust Its supervision rather to a disinterested standing international committee appointed by the Governments than to a purely private body. This by the way. mat is a fact is that China cannot be allowed to drift into complete disruption, for her own sake and for that of a world which cannot afford to lose such a market, in addition to those already in ruins.”