315
10
It is just here that we, the Educationalists, come in. However much we may have fallen short in our performance, it is to prepare the men of China that we have come to this land. Men fitted to understand the vast possibilities of their land, fitted to undertake its vast concerns, and above all fit to be in charge of such a task, because they shall have learnt the chief lesson of all, that of obedience to the call of duty, and of service to others before self-aggrandisement. It is to the lasting honour of British Merchants in China that they have shown in their Meetings of the Associated Chambers that broad outlook on this whole question that has led them to the conclusion arrived at two years ago to devote all the funds to Education.
Nevertheless, a change has to be made, in the direction of the Resolu tion before us to-day, the reason being that not a little has transpired since the meeting in 1923, and not a little fresh light has been shed on the cognate matters which we are bound to recognise. In the first place the question. is no longer the comparatively simple one it was of deciding how Great Britain and China might most usefully employ the funds. The question is becoming an International one. For we can no longer think of ourelves and China arranging this matter of education together: there are others to consider. America is giving a fresh instalment of the Indemnity, most of which seems to be destined for educational purposes. Japan is also in the field, with similar proposals, and finally Russia, with its very large contribution, is to do very much the same thing. In other words, China is to have handed to her sums from three sources, with the risk of having three different factors to be introduced into her educational system. In fairness to China these things cannot be. Great Britain has no free field for independent action if she is to devote the whole of the funds to educational concerns. In fairness to China she must join the other Powers in some more or less pleasing educational entente. This is by no means what was con- templated at Shanghai, and a thing which we cannot view with composure.
A far more serious change in the situation is that which has been brought about by the very marked increase, if not of the Nationalistic spirit in China, yet of its manifestation. Two years ago we were generally under the impression that China welcomed the aid that had been given her in educational matters and appreciated the efforts of Foreigners to contribute to the training of her rising generation. To-day we can scarcely flatter our- selves with this delusion.
A
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At a meeting held in the Autumn in a neighbouring Province of leaders among the Chinese Educators certain resolutions were passed which it was hoped would be adopted by the Ministry of Education and thus recome law. According to these recommendations, the activities of Foreign educa- tors would soon be brought to an end, on the strength of the discovery which these men purport to have made that the
object of Foreign education is to destroy the patriotism of the Chinese, and undermine their independence, so that annexation of the country may become the move facile. All the educational work is purely subsidiary to this political end. With that in view, all foreign schools and colleges are to be under the direction of the Ministry of Education; such as are not are to be closed and no further foreign schools are to be allowed to open It must be agreed that if views such as those are held by the Chinese, although they have not become law as yet, the situation is different from what we imagined it to be when the Chambers of Commerce met two years ago.
A
The matter is further complicated by the feeling which is held at Home that in this matter of the remission of the Indemnity the greatest latitude must be allowed to the Chinese view of things. This is true British generosity. Nevertheless it complicates the situation. The September Num ber of the Journal of the British Chambers of Commerce out here contains a long account of the meeting of the Standing Committee of the House of Commons to which the question of this Indemnity scheme was referred. resolution submitted by Mr. Ronald McNeill was not allowed, although in essence it was a repetition of the Shanghai Recommendations, that is, that the funds when remitted should be given to British educational institutions in China. He especially mentioned Hongkong University by name. I hap- pened to be present, and heard the discussion. Mr. Ponsonby, then Under- Secretary for Foreign Affairs, allowed no amendment as a matter of fact except one brought forward by Mr. Hobhouse, to the effect that the funds should be given to "educational and other purposes." I confess that I wondered then what the "other" was. This matter never came before the House because this was a Standing Committee. It should have been referred to the Committee of the whole House, and that has never happened. But vhen the discussion was taking place it was perfectly evident that the feeling of many was that the funds should not be devoted exclusively to British institutions, but that Chinese institutions should be supported.