May 10.
Mr, S. F, Mayers is renewing ig personal contact with Shanghai this, summer. The experience should be of use to the China Association of which he has been elected chairman for the third year in succession. His speech at the Association's annual meeting last month, as reported in this journal yesterday, was an admirably equable essay in detached observation.
It lacked that note of incisiveness which it should be Association to the aim of the ing to its re-View of Far Eastern affairs. The mere restatement of opinions which comfort where they can and eschew any attempt to disturb complacence is not invigorating, The Association has the mes to assert influence. It can be a valuable support to the Foreign Office but only if it quickens discriminating endorsement of policy with the tonic of construetive criticism. As a repository of uncritical eulogies of diploma tie wisdom—directed whether by Lowion or by Geneva—t Astociation becomes merely annex to Whitehall, That is manifestly unfair to those for whom the Association should speak in London and to the Foreign Office itself. So, although Mr, Mayers sagely impressed on his hearers the importance of a Sino-Japanese rapprochement in solution of the present crisis and welcomed the increasing resort by China to the advice of experts of the League, he gave Little indication of the Associa-ion of any definite regarding British policy It is true that he rightly the value of good rela~ tions with China in furtherance of Great Britain's main objectives trade, To that spirit his notice of progress made by the Government at Nanking wa appropriate, It lacked, however, the corrective of due regard to the dangerously unstable politi-€al and economic conditions now prevailing, 'There he did less than Justice to that policy which the China Association has generally" and Tightly supported and—which came under criticism at. the meeting. Mr. Mayers might, indeed, have put himself in firmer' position if he had taken the present crisis to point the moral for consolidation of trad-ug interests here on the basis good relationships. Impatient or depressed observers who see in the present-day plight of China the failure of what is Popularly known asthe 1926 Policy seem to be under a basic misapprehension. Enforcement of that policy, especially in the early stages, have been marked by serious blunders but that does not alter its significance, It was framed with the object," not of creating a stable Government "of China—a_ task Properly left to the people of this country—but of g0 orde the dispositions of the Foreign
persisted or disappeared, Powers that, whether instability ie Commitments of those Pow remained completely within their capacity to meet. That, at all events, is the line which British interpretation of the policy has taken. In following it a better understanding has been created between the British and Chinese Governments. And, looking back, over the seven years it is possible to say that the relations between the Bi and Chinese peoples have pro-improved. Other have—stecessfully adopted the same policy with ati real measure of success. teen months ago, for reasons which appeared to. her to be imperative, Japan broke away. he result' stands for all to to-day. How far ments thus accepted come -wi the ultimate capacity of' Japan meet only the future can tell. It must, however, be recognised! that Japan's special propinguity {to and special interests in China import into the problem. condi tions which cannot be invoked other Powers. Nor is it possible to judge at this moment the extent to which Japanese actions of late have affected the interests of those who were formerly with her partners common policy of patience and persuasion. That makes it all the more. satisfactory that British statesmanship is un trammelled by obligations beyond reasonable control of So, the policy itself has been suitably attuned to the general Policy of successive British Govetmments and the national needs Jas they have become reflected in the strenuous years that have passed. Certain methods of its application have, however, demanded criticism which' the [China Association has not always alertly provided. A divergence of view has been developed to handicap the efforts of those who have been engaged in carrying Jout the policy on the spot and in cultivating the improvement of Sino-British relationships. It! would seem that the policy could with advantage be given a more: positive tone. There is no reason why it should not actively support a progressive programme for the expansion of British trade here. With the general economic upheaval in full operation it. impossible to be vehemently optimistic, 'The most cursory glance at' conditions in Europe land America would deter anyone from dogmatising regarding the immediate future. Yet the part which Great Britain is playing in the search for recovery and stability justifies the contention that British ce-operation is still 4 factor of enormous importance to the Far East. The British community in China is not lacking in experience or adaptability, Tt has a practical outlook which need not be wasted in the arid occupation of destructive criticism but which essentially requires evidence of clear thinking from London and accurate tion of the conditions obtaining out here. The China Association, valuable us to act, as] interpreter of these needs to the! People at Home, Mere exposition of policy is not enough. Inspiration in applying the policy with practical intention is urgently required. Not otherwise can the! Government hope to make full use of its own servants here and of the important commercial interests which are ministers to British trade and China's pro-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.