If a nation is unwilling or unable to provide trade or commerce for other countries, it is a matter for themselves, and on this point the armed intervention of foreigners is unlikely to do any good unless it is powerful enough and purposeful enough to see the matter carried right through.
The law in America prohibiting foreign ships from carrying alcohol seems to be something like a parallel case.
There is enough trouble in the air at present, and it cannot be wise to make every piece of local news the pretext for og tation for intervention.
We should deeply regret to find that the spark we had kindled had destroyed our own house.
I trust, therefore, that in the future your Wanhsien correspond-ort will use that method of thoughtful and measn.e4 express sion which may have the tendency te do more good than harm.
I am, eto., Wanhsien, July 9, 1923.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.