Dec. 22.
Tue "Times'" comments, as reported in our telegrams yesterday, upon the British proposals for a new policy in China will be cordially welcomed by the community in this coun-'After deducing that ish Government has taken the initiative in an attempt to reduce all the premises and principles of the Washington Convention to a very simple issue—practical recognition that modern Chin nationalism is a fact and many of its claims are entirely legitimate," the "Times" goes on to stress the intolerable nature of the situation, in which Great Britain finds herself "blamed vehement ly, persistently and exclusively for a state of affairs for which tain least of all is to blame,'
On the contrary, the "Times' quite truly says, "British policy is the most liberal hitherto proposed and goes much the furthest in practically recogniz~ ing the legit demands of (Chinese nationalism A highly important and timely reference is made to "the hampering attitude of other nations on British policy owing to the necessity of keeping in line with them." "And the "Times," w told, "rejoices that Brit restraint and seeming passivity have been abandone So, too, will others rejoice. But have that restraint and passivity truly been abandoned? Something more is needed for proof of so glad a change than the enunciation of proposals which may never get beyond the murky walls of Peking because the Minister of Paflagonia has not been empowered by his Government to give his all-important approval. If Great Britain's projects for this country are to bear fruit, there must be no more of the old, timorous, secret diplomacy. For that way lies only sterile disappointment. Let us go back a little in recent history. Mr. Lampson, _undoubtedly sent to Hankow with freer hands than any British Minister has enjoyed for many day, spent nine full days there, continuing his conversations with the Nationalist representatives almost up to the moment of departure. There is no doubt that these interviews were of a friendly and promising nature. Simultaneously with the Minister's departure for Peking comes ithe news that the British Charge @AMaires has laid before the Diplomatic Body specially assemble, proposals for a certain me of policy in China of liberal and far-reaching nature. It is impossible not to connect this news with Mr. Lampson's conversations in Hankow; nor is it going too far to believe that these proposals are such as to give practic 1 expression to the feeling of cordial friendship for China which Great Britain has so often proclaimed and of which her long forbearance under great provocation and injury has been proof.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.