3nd To the Editor of the "Norri-Cuwa Dany News"
Sun—It is refreshing in these days, when a good majority of 30- called neutrals who express their views in the Press are inclined add their insults to China to the injuries she had received from foreign aggression, to find an honest and independent mind as "Querist's", - who holds that Japan has no thie to 'Manchuria, but feels equal doubt to China's claim, and. would like Chinese readers of the "North-China, Daily News" to write what they' think about it.
The answer is so obvious that 1 expected mine to be anticipated and Fendered superfluous by those from some of my countrymen, or even from one or two of the foreign feaders, on account Of the reference made in his letter to my having provoked him to put forward that question, I feel myself obliged to some extend to reply to that letter.
There is no necessity for delving] {in any of the ancient or modern histories, the Report of the Lytton Commission is more than adequate for any of the Sino-Japanese issues, if studied as a historical rather than 8 diplomatic document.
As a neutral, "Querist" certainly cannot dispute the veracity of - the facts contained in that Report, and T think that if he refreshes his" me-mary on this subject discussed therein, the doubt in his mind can linger} no longer.
Even as an independent thinker, who wishes to arrive at his conch sions without the ald of others, "Querist," I believe, would be able to find the answer in his own statement of the case. "It (Manchuria) was a royal preserve, the bunting! ground of the Emperors," says he. Manchuria is hence the property of the Emperor of China, and an apange of Chinese Empire. And since! "Querist" admits that "the Republic heir to the Empire," it would seem that there can be only one possible conclusion from these premises.
Prior to 1931, it would have been considered absurd (no offence meant!) to ask about the ownership of Manchuria. That as genuine and open-minded a neutral as "Querist" should put forward such a question, just shows again the influence of Propeganda: the Japanese—persistence, the Chinese spathy end the neutrals' indulgence.
If, however, something black white should be required, "Querist" may be referred to anyone of the numerous bl-lateral and multi-lateral treaties and agreements, including, those concluded by Japan with every interested -nation of the world, recognize and guarantee China's sovereignty over Manchuria and Mon.
Last but not least, lawful occupation and possession is the best title, in the absence of a better one, Tha is a universal and undisputed legal, axiom. As "there are no Manchus now in Manchuria," and as 30 of the! 32 millions of inhabitants there are! Chinese, what more need be said to" substantiate China's claims to the territory? If inhabitants do not own the territory, who do?
"Querist" will see that there more than one string to the bow my argument, And T can assure him that such is the case with every the Sino-Japanese issues. We are prepared to have all the pre-Crisis disputes examined from all the thre= angles—legality, morality, and eve necessity! Examples: the _parall<! Unes, the Kirin-Huelning Railway, in fact any of the railway Issues, the problem of Korean settlers, the rail way guards, the consular police, the Wanpsosen" affair, the Nakamura case, the 31 inches of wrecked track. ete, etc. Reference: the Lytton Re. port again.
"A word about "the pitiful plight of the little Manchu colony" in Hankow in 1911, on which "Querist" does not want to "harp." Hankow was the city from which the Revolution broke out; and, regrettable though it Is, one cannot fail to understand that, in the first tush over the overthrow of a centuries-old racial yoke, the irresponsible and uncontrolled elements should overstep the bounds and perpetrate indiscretions and ro cities on those who have enjoy. ed, and oftentimes abused, a privileged position. 1 have not the Agures of casualties of that city during that Revolution, but no im partial observer can help agreeing that they are utterly negligible in comparison with those in any one of the more important cities during the revolutions of other countries, the French or the Russian, for example.
And "Querist" need not "suppose the same thing took place in other cities." Everyone with a reasonable amount of knowledge of the Chinese Revolution can tell him how remarkably bloodless it was. Hankow way an exception of exceptions.
Another aspect of the Chinese Re volution which has escaped notice of even the keenest observers is the total absence of racial persecution fand discrimination against the overthrown. If s0 inclined, the—Chinese, instead of futilely showing their antagonism against the injustices and injuries of the powerful, could have more profitably vented their anger fon the helpless. But, except for the first year or two, the Manchu has een treated as one of ourselves, This is due partly to the fact that the oppression of the Chinese by the Manchu never reached the thoroughness of that in the pre-re-Volution of France and Russia. Lack of thoroughness in the abuse of power is @ common racial characteristic of these two Chinese peoples.
As to the question of the so-called, postal ban, T think T have written Quite enough; but "Querist's" atten: tion may be called to my quotation (Bune 30) from the "China Critic That journal, too, has been banned in the Straits Settlements and Rangoon "without the slightest explanation from the authorities concerned," a fact rather neglected by the cham-ion of "Oriental Affairs."
U.K, Shanghai, July Ninguts, the north-eastern part Kirin and a part of Hellungkiang—sent of his own accord special envoys to China, who, after many months Jaborious'travelling, at length arrived at the then capital of China—the present Slanfu—bringing with them many tributes, among which the most notable was a number of arrows made of a special spedes of wood with small stones as the tips, pledge ing their master's allegiance" with China, Inthe Han Dynasty, the present province of Liaoning or Fengtien was already formally incorporated in the Chinese Empire as integral part of her under the name of the prefecture of Lisotung, and we find in our ancient history many a resident-general under the title of Tu-Siao-Chiang Chun and governor of the ttle of Lizotur Tal-Shan' were sent there one stter another to rule the country; of course, there being no rulers of the Manchurian people's own th Later during the Tang Dynasty, which the territory was the largest except the Yuan Dynasty. in the Chinese history, Manchuria as far as the "Sungari River In Kirin and Heilungkiang was all brought under the direct Chinese sovereignty, there being established in Korea 9 Chinese governorship-general known as "AN~ tung Tu-Hu," under whose furisdietion not only Manchuria but. even Korea was made an integral port of China. "Even down to the end of the Ming Dynasty (1644), the Chinese Empire retained the entire portion of the present Lisoning province and part of the southern Kirin. frst under the rule of a civil govern known 28 Linotune Chin-Wu." then under viceroy entitied Chi-Liao Chung Tu" and Ainaily under a military governor-general with the title of Liao: yang Ching-Lula," and many a pltn ched battle was fought there. And even at other times when the land Tet Toose, in most it remained a protectorate of China or a dependency upon her. So id Noorhachw's ancestors and even Noorhachu himself once acknowledge the Chinese emperors as their suzferains........Mr.,.. had better study the original copies of the "Twenty: four Histories' of Ghina before qualifying to enter a dispute with n Chinese man of letters on Chinese historical facts, The histories generally the modern histories only China written by foreigners who know no Chinese language but base their materials on second-hand in-{formation will prove of no avait to Its plain from the above quotation that Manchuria originally belonged to China and that by the Abdication Decree of 1911, China merely recover ed her lost territory. Why should then China send an army and con quer Manchuria, of should the Man: chus send delegates to Nanking and ask to be incorporated in the Republic? There is one incident, however, which may be mentioned in this thatis, the late Prince Lun did head the Manchus to petition Yuan Shih cal to be enthroned in' 1918, As to the above-mentioned decree, which is without doubt legally valid, even "Queorist" himself has admitted that undeniably, it may be taken as the Republic's title to Manchuria. Ts it not preposterous, then, that he at the same time says "the title Is very dubious." Even if the story of how it was obtained is very tin pleasant reading, is it not in such cases al-Ways 50? Is the story of how the Peace of Versailles was signed very pleasant reading? "Querist" raises the question, "by what title China claims Manchuria?" He might as well ask, "by what title China claims China? Japan claims Japant, ete."
Nanking, July 6,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.