(4) Labor of self-supporting students. What should the State Department do? What should Congress do? What should the Christian forces do? Is a comprehensive declaration possible and desirable of what America's Oriental policy should be? II. MEMBERSHIP OF THE CONFERENCE In addition to those that actually attended the Conference more than seventy-five others were compelled to decline the invitation. The following list comprises only those who were able to be present: I. Missionaries from China Rev. James M. Henry, D.D., South China, Presbyterian, North Bishop W. S. Lewis, D.D., Bishop Resident in Shanghai, Methodist President H. H. Lowry, D.D., Peking University, Methodist Episcopal Rev. J. E. Williams, D.D., Nanking, Presbyterian, North II. Missionaries from Japan (and Korea) Rev. Prof. Arthur D. Berry, D.D., Aoyama Gakuin, Tokyo, Methodist Episcopal Rev. John L. Dearing, D.D., Yokohama, Baptist Rev. Prof. M. D. Dunning, Doshisha University, Kyoto, Congregational Bishop M. C. Harris, D.D., Bishop Emeritus, Resident in Tokyo, Methodist Episcopal Rev. Hilton Pedley, D.D., Mayebashi, Congregational Prof. A. K. Reischauer, D.D., Tokyo, Presbyterian, North Rt. Rev. H. St. Geo. Tucker, D.D., Bishop of Kyoto, Protestant Episcopal Bishop Herbert Welch, D.D., Bishop resident in Seoul, Methodist Episcopal. III. Secretaries B. R. Barber, Esq., representing John R. Mott, General Secretary Y. M. C. A. F. S. Brockman, Esq., Associate General Secretary of the International Y. M. C. A. Rev. William I. Chamberlain, Ph.D., Board of Foreign Missions of the Reformed Church of America. Rev. Sidney L. Gulick, D.D., American Council World Alliance for the Promotion of International Friendship Through the Churches. W. Henry Grant, Esq., Foreign Missions' Conference of North America. Rev. William I. Haven, D.D., American Bible Society. Rev. George Heber Jones, D.D., Board of Foreign Missions of the Methodist Episcopal Church, North. Rev. Frederick Lynch, D.D., American Council World Alliance for the Promotion of International Friendship Through the Churches. Rev. Charles S. Macfarland, Ph.D., General Secretary of the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America. William B. Millar, Esq., Laymen's Missionary Movement. Rev. Frank Mason North, D.D., Board of Foreign Missions of the Methodist Episcopal Church, North. Robert E. Speer, D.D., Board of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian Church in the U. S. A. IV. Eminent Citizens Hon. Simeon E. Baldwin, Former Governor of Connecticut. cal Board. Douglas L. Dunbar, Esq., Japan Society, New York. Professor Samuel P. Dutton, Director Canton Christian College. Patrick Gallagher, Esq., The Far Eastern Bureau. Rev. John F. Goucher, D.D., L.L.D., Chairman of Commission on Christian Education of the Continuation Committee of the World Missionary Conference, Edinburgh, 1910. Professor Alexander Tison, Former Professor of Law in Tokyo Imperial University. Oswald Garrison Villard, Esq., New York Evening Post. Hon. Amos P. Wilder, Yale-in-China Mission. Mornay Williams, Esq., Chairman of Executive Committee of West China Union University. III. THE TWO SESSIONS The morning session was devoted to American Japanese Problems, Bishop Herbert Welch presiding. Dr. Charles S. Macfarland made an opening statement, calling attention to the fact that the Commission on Relations with Japan was established by the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America in response to memorials to the Federal Council from American Missionaries in Japan. He summarized the work of the Commission, making special reference to the scientific investigation it had provided for through the employment of Professor H. A. Millis, whose report was published (The Japanese Problem in the United States), and to the Christian Embassy to Japan, consisting of Dr. Shailer Mathews, President of the Federal Council, and of Dr. Sidney L. Gulick. Out of the work of the Commission on Relations with Japan came the occasion and the call for this Conference on American Oriental Problems. The two opening addresses of the morning were given by Bishop M. C. Harris and Dr. John L. Dearing, which were followed by a paper by Dr. Gulick, The entire Conference was entertained at luncheon by the Church Peace Union in the beautiful banquet room of the new Yale Club. Brief addresses were made during the luncheon hour. The afternoon session was devoted to American Chinese Problems, with Dr. Robert E. Speer in the chair. The two opening addresses were given by the Rt. Rev. Logan H. Roots and Dr. J. E. Williams. At both sessions there was free, frank, and full discussion of the many important and delicate questions that had been raised. In addition to those who had been asked to open the discussion, the following gentlemen made important contributions: Drs. Henry, Williams, Stelle, Schultze, and Professor Robertson, of China; Drs. Pedley, Reischauer, Berry, and Dunning, of Japan; and Drs. Goucher, Buttrick, Speer, North, Villard, Gallagher, Wilder, Williams, Lynch, Brockman, Haven, and Jones, and Governor Baldwin. IV. THE DISCUSSION The Conference was animated by the key-note that new world conditions and the new Asia call for a policy on the part of America in dealing with Asia and Asiatics that shall be determined not merely from the standpoint of America's political and economic interests in Asia, but also from the standpoint of the highest welfare of Asia herself. There was unanimity in the conclusion that the time has come for an emphatic rejection by America of the "imperialism” and "dollar diplomacy" advocated by some and widely ascribed to us by Asiatics, and for an outspoken declaration by the press and by our people generally in favor of the new internationalism in our relations with Asia. Speakers from Japan told of their opportunities of knowledge through conversations with Japan's leading statesmen, such as Marquis Okuma, Viscount Kaneko, Barons Kato, Ishii, and Shibusawa and Drs. Takata and Nitobe, some of whom had sought opportunity to speak through the returning missionaries to the American people. Dr. Dearing, referring to his recent, and many of them long, interviews, stated that "the several statesmen spoke without reserve and most cordially," and that the total effect upon him had been "very greatly to strengthen the growing conviction of twenty-seven years of residence in Japan that her leading statesmen are thoroughly sincere, honorable, and honest in their statements of Japan's problems and policies." There was full discussion of Japan's attitudes toward America and China and her policies in regard to both countries. Japan's desires to deal justly with China and to promote China's welfare as well as her own were asserted more than once. Evidence on the other hand was also presented for doubting Japan's sincerity in these assertions. One Japanese authority was reported as saying that Japan's worst foes in China are irresponsible Japanese adventurers. Reference was made to the recent employment by the Foreign Office of Professor Thomas Batty as legal adviser, showing that Japan recognizes her need of counsel in her diplomatic negotiations. It was stated from the highest sources that "Japan would take no important step in China that was not first approved by Great Britain, Russia, and the United States." The problem of Japanese emigration to the United States was frequently considered. The "Gentlemen's Agreement," it was shown, has solved the question for the present so far as the governments are concerned. But the people of Japan are by no means satisfied when they experience its rigid enforcement by the Japanese Government, making it impossible even for students to come to the United States unless they are sons of wealthy parents. Japan's complaisance with American occupation of the Philippines was made clear. All the Japanese statesmen quoted insist that Japan has no thought whatever of political control of China, either by closing the "open door" or by infringing the integrity of her empire. The virtual impossibility and the absolute folly of attempting a policy of domination was pointed out by the Japanese speakers reported. Japan could not face the antagonism which such a policy would surely evoke, not only in China herself, but in Europe and America also. Japan's future welfare requires that she maintain friendly relations with China and also with all the great nations of the world. Japan's essentially friendly attitude toward and confidence in America was repeatedly stated. Japan's real welfare is closely dependent on maintaining right relations with the United States. That Japan plans or contemplates war is vigorously repudiated by her responsible statesmen. Such statements, however, do not ignore the fact that America's discriminatory treatment of Japanese in America is keenly resented by all Japanese. It deeply hurts. Missionaries from China made it plain that many discredit the protestations of Japanese statesmen that they desire only China's welfare. The course of affairs a year and a half ago in connection with the negotiations over the so-called twenty-one demands and especially the presentation of "Group V," both in substance and in manner, was referred to several times. Reference was made by Mr. Gallagher to the protest of the "American Manufacturers' Association" to the Secretary of State of the United States against Japan's fresh demands upon China. In regard to the treatment of Chinese in America there was general agreement that the situation was far from satisfactory; that the present exclusion laws are administered in a way that brings hardship, and that those in South China who know what is taking place are indignant. Beyond question these things are injuring American Chinese relations. There was consensus of opinion that earnest steps should be taken for the rectification of our present laws dealing with American Chinese relations. The Resolutions Committee reported in the afternoon a number of resolutions which, after due discussion and some amendment, were all unanimously passed. The principal resolutions follow in the next section. The Conference closed after six hours of frank and earnest discussion with the conviction, shared by all, that a good beginning had been made and that similar meetings should be held from time to time where representatives from Japan and China might meet with citizens of our own country interested in the development of international good-will, where they might exchange opinions, information, and experience with utmost freedom and frankness. |