We may be forgiven for returning the subject in view of the striking speech delivered by Mr, Lyon, editor of the "Washington Star" atthe Danquet given by the Chinese Press on Thursday evening to the American editors. This speech, me Cidentally, was a vivid illustration of what we pointed out yesterday, namely, that the visitors had been cably impressed by the ipt to got Mr. Hallett Abend deported and by Kindred examples of Nanking's repression of freedom of the Press. Although Mr, Lyon's speech wax not a written one, it hud evidently been thought out with care and was delivered with an Siupressivencss. suggesting that the spankers hoped his words. would carry far. Mr, Lyon emphasized that in Amerien newspapers never get into trouble for attacking the Government, Indecent literature consequently amenable to the laws of China ax he is living in her territory. There should be no lack of precedents to decide the point. The exact ruling of the law may be doubtful, as questions of this ki would hardly have been contemplated by the old Chinese Law-makers. But the claim of the Chinese in respect of Mr. Char contrasts oddly: with their attitude in the ease of the Korean Mr, W. I. Lyuh. He, they tay, became a naturalized Chi nese and his arrest by the Japanese police was consequently, illegal. These cases are not precisely par-alle) but they are undoubtedly com: plementary, and present an interesting alternative. For if the Chinese claim Mr, Char as a Chinese, they can searcely dispute Japan's claim that Mr. Lyuh is Korean, Or if the latter, who not born in China, could acquire Chinese nationality, how much more has not Mr. Char the right to claim American citizenship, who was born fon American soil and has always identified himself with American institutions? There is one aspect of Mr. Char's ease which is not pleasant, namely, the manner of his arrest. There stems no doubt that hho went to the office of the Com missioner of Foreign Affaris in all Innocence, and in the belief that he was going to discuss an ordinary matter of business. And he was is the only sort which is debarred the use of the mails. Tae law of ibel is there to be invoked against false statements. For the rest, it fy felt that public opinion will act fas a cheek on newspapers, to keep within the bounds' of pro-just ai newspapers in turn serve to stimulate public opinion. All this is self-evident, and in countries where a healthy democracy prevails, Governments are conspicuously chary of interfering with the press, Nanking may reply that there is "no analogy between such countries and China in her present state. But this is only true up to a point, Each country has its own problem proportionate to to ils state of development. of the most interesting scenes i London on a Sunday afternoon the group of soap-box orators i Hyde Park, near the Marble Arch. Many of them are of an undisguisedly "ced" variety. A policeman stands by, not to check the orator but to prevent the crowd, iL he happens to make then angr: from pulling him to pices, Else: where in today's issue will be Found the new code which Nanking has brought into force against the Communists. Nobody willie inclined to quarrel with what the Government does " to shackmate people whose avowed aim is to reduce China to anarchy. Yet even in this extreme ease, to make it a rime merely to hold Communist ig very far. Som: fis being commonly among Chinese, who claim to be good sons of the revolution, thowzh they may not agree with Nanking on all pi We fought against Yuan Shis-kai he. cause he curtailed liberty and especially freedom of speech eid the press. But what was the use then seized and imprisoned. This is the sort of thing which certainly does not dispose foreign Powers to sacrifice their nationals' extraterritorial rights in Chit
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.