MILITARISM IN CHINA

Hokitika Guardian, 10 December 1929, Page 2

MILITARISM IN CHINA

MISSIONARY'S RETORT. VANCOUVER, October 31. Declarations made here by Frederick Palmer, noted U.S. war correspondent, regarding the ‘‘Yellow Peril,” in which he asserted that the Oriental nations, and particularly Japan, were becoming a menace in that they were inc.ined towards war, has drawn a heated reply from Dr James Endicott, superintendent of the Foreign Mis ions Hoard of the United Church of Canada. If the Chinese nation had become militaristic, declared Dr Endicott, it was because they had been made so by white, foreign Powers. The changes which had come about in China were merely indications of the nation’s progress. It was not at all advisab’e that half the world’s population should be in the position where it was helpless against the exploitation of stronger countries. “It would be a good idea,” Bt Endicott said, “to have an investigation into the actual results from mission fund spent in the Orient made by a commission of businessmen and ox pert educators who are not in the missions or in the employ of the Chinese Government,”

This, Dr Endicott- emphatically declared, was what the heads of the missionary department of the United Church in Canada had advocated for snni" years. Lie resented the insinuation on the part of Colonel Palmar that voting ladies about to enter the mission fields of China were not S!l f'o fhoro. ami added tlv.it they were safer there than they would be at home. He advocated that, if a commission were appointed to investigate the disposal of funds for missionary work, it should also intestimate the activities of armament and gunboat manufacturers. “It would he of great interest to the public it thov did this.” lie said. “Plenty of material could he found if - Colonel Pa,liner fomp-sred notes with the notorious Air Shearer in the United States.

v “These yellow nations have taken a leaf out of your own book for their defence-,” Dr Endicott dec-dared. “They realise' that if they want a strong nation they must have strong armaments. The real ‘menace’ scare has come, not from the ‘A cllow I aril,’ hut from the white nations. Do we want to have more than half the world’s population in a- position where thev are helpless victims of exploitation on the part of strong nations? The helplessness of China lias provoked all these imperialistic and .com-mercially-minded nations and produced a situation in Asia generally which is a world menace. Russia, Germany and France are fighting over the spoils. “Is there -any hope for peace on this basis?” he concluded.