THE POWERS AND CHINA.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 14 July 1925, Page 4

THE POWERS AND CHINA.

The intense desire oi ! the huge aggregation of human beings known as the Chinese nation, exhibited in the utterances of prominent officials and the manoeuvriugs of its statesmen abroad, has shown itself in divers significant ways. The Colusses is stirring in its sleep! Great, for instance, was 'the jubilation of the intelligentsia and the native press regarding the voluntary renunciation 'by the Soviet Government, upon the renewal of diplomatic intercourse, of all privileges 'held by the former Russian Imperial Government, as also when the signatures to the Sino-German Treaty in 1924 covered an agreement wherein no mention whatever was ma<le of extra-territorial rights. The nationals of both these prewar Imperialistic countries are now amenable to Chinese law. Nothing too bad can be said of native justice and prisons, lor which the Chinese themselves have no use. They suit a primitive state of society, and leave very much to be desired. It is but natural that many foreigners, considering this fact alone, namely, that the present style of Chinese prison is what the dungeons of the Middle Ages in Europe must have been like, are very apprehensive of the abrogation of territorial rights. It is safe to write, however, tl»at the great Western Powers, and also Japan, will not relinquish such rights as they now possess until the reform of the judiciary and other matters have been effected to their satisfaction. The Powers will exact full guarantees for the safety of their nationals and their large interests in the country. At the present time these nations are on tho horns of a dilemma, for so pressing is the demand for complete freedom, and yet so inept arc the Chinese for self-government on approved Western jines, that they cannot give up their privileges without sacrificing these nationals and their enormous vested interests to the whims of experimental irresponsible?.. The present inability of the Chinese for self-government providing justice for all, native and .foreign, is only too apparent to the resident white man.