This sentence would have been" quite as effective, and much less offensive to" man; self-respecting foreigners, if it had] been rounded off without' the inclusion of the suggestion that foreign. ers come to China only for wh they can get. The practical idealism of many missionaries and teachers, and the loyal and fearless devotion to duty of many foreign members of Government services such as the Customs, Salt and Postal Administrations have over long period of years provided abundant evidence of much higher ideals than those implied in the sentence quoted. To take but one example, il) may be suggested that the Chines? Deople would not have been asham, claim as g countryman theirs a man like Sir Robert Hart. So fax from sneering at such mea because they found their living in China" 9 true patriot would "un doubtedly wish that more of his lown countrymen might be as single-minded and free from thoughts of self-aggrandisement. in. their' hand ling of the State's affairs The picture your contributor has painted' of the virtues of the Chinese ix not lacking in colour, whil: at the same time hig repeated re. ferences to the superiority. complex, the arrogance, the Inck of self-eon trol and. the smog self-satisfaction of the. foreigner "suggest much be seeping" condemnation. Your contributor' has tmade the mistake" of comparing the select class of cultured Chinese of the bes tradition with specimens of the lee cultured type of bagman one furally expects to find in a cosmo: politan, city. like Shanghai. Such Comparisons are, however, of littl> value, and certainly do not provide the material for that better understanding and mutual respect which are the only basis for the development of international friendships. these changes; a few frankly have not. On the other hand it is clear that certain manifestations of this new spirit of nationalism have at evitably create understanding between Chinese an foreigners. During the process of establishing their new claims incumbent upon the Chinese to she: a degree of wisdom and discretion which, perhaps because of political vicissitudes and a relative inex: perience in handling international negotiations, the Ghinese authorities not always shown. In present circumstances mutual recriminations and mere obstructionism are worse than useless as a policy, but much good may be done by closer personal contact and the frank but friendly discussion of outstanding difficulties by influential individuals as_well ax official representatives.
Something should be said lof the assistance Chinese themselves might render in promoting the growth of a better international understanding. The essential point of your contributor's remarks seems to be that, insofar as foreigners conform to the Chines: conception of behaviour befitting present-day conditions, they will be Jaceepted as friends and" equals, This helps little to solution some of the difficult questions of international relationships now reiz attention. We have now to deal with something even more portant than everyday politeness and respect for personal susceptibi ties. As these problems are solved so we' may expect the development of a greater measure of rvutua! reap respect and international co-opera tion. At the present time, however, too much emphasis is apt to be! placed yen the question of rights, with too little regard for the de-lopment of a sense of responsibility. This. is a situation by no!
ins peculiar to China. Tt is, in fact, encountered almost where in the process of establishing a system of self-government. People lof radical views, often with no ko in the country, cry out for a greater measure of control, while [the conservatives, often interests," are naturally reluctant to surrender to unskilled hands the estate they have bul at the expenditure of much tims ud-no small amount of capital.
chinese as a people are keep they expect, to admittedly dif cult negotiations with foreign interests they Would probably' ful!
both wise and profitable to make their minds in advance as to what they consider would be a suitable "last price" and to ask for little more. 'The transaction of much profitable business ig, based upon the principle of satisfying! both buyer and. seller. A fair bargain between men of good will, with no subsequent' demands for special discounts, and no mancuvring for the cancellation of the contract, would make a. good work. ing policy for the promotion of a better understanding and more lasting friendship between Chinote and foreigners in this country. To permit, either political extremists excitable schoolboys to cull the
the present, juncture, tune would be a fatal mistake
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.