et. 20, The Conference of the Institute of Pacific Relations which opened yesterday at Kyoto has blossomed out very greatly since, several years ago, it was set going in Honolulu as an enterprise of the Y.M.C.A.
Now it is a matter of world-wide importance. It attracts men of eminence from all countries; leven Russia has been persuaded to send an observer. And the addresses that will be given this week are the results of long thought and careful preparation. Asan entirely—non-official gathering, the Conference, in the old phrase, has the defects of its qualities and the qualities of its defects. Each delegate speaks for himself alone, He commits nobody else to the opinions he expresses, no ganization, least of all any government, To this extent it may be objected that the Conference is robbed in advance of the possibility of tangible result. But this surely is a shortsighted view. The greater freedom with which each delegate feels able to speak brings into discussion many points of view which would otherwise -not be heard and stimulates the growth: of healthy public opinion, which ought to have a favourable effect for that part-of the world in which the Conference is principally interested.
As we pointed out in these columns a few weeks ago, two subjects. are bound to attract special attention, namely, Manchuria and extraterritoriality. The value of discussion of these two burning topics will depend to a large extent on the attitude taken by the Chinest representatives. Hitherto, it must be con fessed, Chinese delegates at international meetings have shown. themselves obstructive, not to say thorny, on questions concerning their own country. At the Amsterdam Conferente of Chambers of Commerce, they declined to allow any discussion of Chinese affairs on the ground that no other country's internal co2- cerns were to be similarly treated and that, to single out those of China, insulting to her. It is easy to understand that the Chinese are sensitive on such matters, but it will be none the less regrettable if they reject opportunities of friendly discus sion where information and advice useful to Chinese internal, development are forthcoming and the point of: view of their countries in international affairs of importance to China may be dispassionately set forth and profitable received, At the preseat time, Chinese appear to approach the question of extraterritoriality as if theirs were the only side of it to be consider: But other nations also have felaims in the matter which caanot justly be ignored. This was indicated with—unmistakable plainness in the replies from the Powers to Dr. C. 'T. Wang's invitation to them to discuss the abolition of Consular jurisdic. tion. But the real importance of those Notes hardly seems.as yet to have sunk into the Chinese mind. The Kyoto Conference offers an opportunity to explain the foreign point of view in a manner that no diplomatic docu-Iment can equal, and it is sincerely to be hoped that the Chinese delegates will not be deaf to what the others may have to say ion the subject that lies so near to their hearts. Frank discus. sion at Kyoto will save much soreness in the future and help to shorten the time for the satisfaction of Chinese desires, The nature of the Conference cannot but cause one to ponder on the destinies of the Pacific, Some prophets have. already roundly declared that the future fof the world lies on this ocean and with the countries surrounding it, It may be so, But one cannot help thinking that sone considerable time has yet to pass before Asia's receptivity has so fax developed as to enable the Pacific to supplant the Atlantic and Mediterranean in world importance. It is none the less significant that the Americas are paying so much attention, not only to this Conference, but the general affairs of the western shores of the Pacific.
Almost every steamer from Seattle. and) San Francisco brings business experts intent en discovering new openings in China and on how to improv communication between this country and their own. And as time goes on this reaching out of American commerce towards China must stimulate the acttivities of Chinese business men in important directions. Hitherto, in all the larger transactions of business and finance between China and the West, it has been the Chinese Government which acted as the principal party. But what is really needed in China is the development of aggregations of big, business men such as are to be found in other coun tries, but have never yet existed in this one. For example, it is at present inconceivable that a group "of Chinese financiers should go into another country and buy up a public utility con 'a group of Ameriesn and British financiers came to Shanghai sand—bought the Electricity - Department. Yet there is no valid reason why Chinese should not aspire to do this sort of thing. As yet such
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.