CHINESE VIEW OF THE RIOT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10040, 10 May 1910, Page 4

CHINESE VIEW OF THE RIOT.

An educated Chinaman in Sydney, Mr Lo Yen, has written to the Daily Telegraph to the effect that such serious riots as those which occurred recently at Changsha are really due to the aggressiveness of the foreigner. Mr Lo Yen appeals to recent history to support his contention that the "four vultures," Russia, Germany, France and Great Britain, are intent upon partitioning China. But, adds the Telegraph in reply, there is not a shred of evidence that territorial aggression in China is contemplated by any of the Western Powers at the present time, although it might have been formerly. Kiao-Chou and Wei-hai-Wei are merely leaseholds. The rivalry of the western powers is for trade, not for territory. It is significant that in the course of his long and graphic letter, Mr Lo Yen makes no mention at all of Japan. Yet in territorial as well as commercial aggressiveness in China Japan holds a conspicuous pre-emin-ence. Although nominally in Manchuria only temporarily, she has consolidated her position by building strategic lines, enabling her to throw troops forward from Korea into Mukden. She has tightened her grip upon the whole of Southern Manchuria, and it is said that Japanese emissaries in the cause of trade are to be met with all over China. As long aa Japan is allowed to hold a large slice of Chinese territory permanently—for nobody now supposes that she will ever voluntarily evacuate Manchuria —the western Powers will hover round, in the hope of deriving some equivalent advantage. When China is strong enough to put the Japanese out of Manchuria she will be able to give the western Powers also notice to quit. But not before. China can hope to achieve her object only by carrying out the re-organisation of her national forces;. Attacking missionaries and burning consulates at Changsha will only precipitate further "aggressions" by the foreigners.