WHY THE CHINESE DISLIKE US.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 July 1927, Page 4

WHY THE CHINESE DISLIKE US.

ißy SIR SIDNEY LOW, in the Loudon “ Daily Alaii.”)

We are all aware that the Chinese revolutionary has usually a smattering of Western education. But he is Westernised in a curious way. Sir Auckland Getldes, who has been British Ambassador at Washington, reminds ns that the majority of Chinese students imbibe their culture from the United States. The young Chinese who are sent abroad to he educated go mainly to America. Plenty of them are to be found tit the American universities, colleges and technical schools. They are brisk young fellows, very glib, talkative, and modern. But they do not come into contact with the mercantile ami society elements of New York and Boston which know something about Europe and have a considerable regard for this country. largely frequent the cities of the Middle , West and live in midde-dass homes. And among the middle-classes ol the -Middle West the current opinion still is that Great Britain is a brutal, domineering State, ruled by a corrupt nubility, and an autocratic monarch. To them King George V. is rather like the wicked George 111. ot their school textbooks. I Chicago has just elected its now mayor on an emphatic anti-British ticket. Twisting the lion’s tail is still a popular sport in the Aliddle West. i hi the intervals of bearing lectures I oil technology, medicine or economics! the Chinese student converses with his hosts and their friends, imbibes all j their anti-British prejudices, and adds j to them a tincture of Communistic internationalism derived from the cosmopolitan gatherings he favours.

Chicago swarms with Russian, German. and Central European revolutionaries. They all agree in a cordial hatred of British “ imperialism.” They teach their young disciples that Britain is' stii'l oppressing and exploiting her “Colonies” in the eighteenth century fashion. Of these “ Colonies ” the chief is India, where the mild Asiatic is subjected to the tyranny of English satraps and the rapacity of England financial adventurers. This, they are told, is what England is doing in China. Nobody has thought it necessary to direct their attention to the amazing achievements in that country of Britain and the British. It has not been brought before them that the European Settlements in the Far East are indeed Colonies, but Colonies of an unprecedented kind. Die great trading cities," such as Shanghai, Hankow and Canton, have been created by European, chiefly Bri-j tish. enterprise and energy. Here, on i

the mud flats, or barren shores, or’ alongside swarming, filthy, native warrens, our merchants and traders have established magnificent modern towns, wealthy and prosperous. A vast commerce has grown up and thriving industries which have given employment to hordes of Chinese labourers and made numerous Chinese merchants wealthy. Tlio returned “ intellectual,” who is neither a merchant nor a labourer, ignores all this. Ho sees Shanghai and Hankow, and does not understand that he and his nationals could no more have created these splendid modern centres of trade than they could have designed the Acropolis at Athens. If he has thought fit to become a Christian he may see ' something in China of the American missionaries and teachers. These are excellent people, sincerely desirous of spreading the light as they see it. Hut they, too, are middle-class Americans, who have learnt their history in American colleges. They have not been taught to love Britain.