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HIS EXCELLENCY-Gentlemen, as the Attorney-General has pointed out, the supporters of this resolution support it on two grounds. One of them may be summed up in the one word tion." The other is on economic grounds. "retalia- New in my humble opinion it is far too early to talk about retaliation. Of one thing I myself am firmly convinced, and that is, that the English people, who are distinguished above all things for their love of justice, will never sheathe the sword, nor will their Allies sheathe the sword, until the crimes which have been committed by the German army in this war are thoroughly expiated. I feel con- fident that the persons who ordered these crimes will be brought to punishment. I am quite sure that the blood of the massacred passengers of the Lusitania, and, worse than that, the blood of Miss Cavell, and even worse than that, the most foul case of all-the blood of the murdered Captain Fryatt, will not call for justice in vain.
We may well leave that to these he will have the terms of peace under their consideration. On the other question, the question of economics, I confess I expected to hear a far graver indictment against the German merchants and their methods than the indictment that has been put forward. It is mainly that they followed a credit system. Well, the Attorney-General has answered that as far as it is necessary to answer it. I would only remark,
of the hon. the Justices
official
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL expressed. Sentiment is A very poor the Attorney-General. I think that the guide amongst the cold hard facts of great Imperial question cannot be over- economics. Lord Cromer, who was looked. The aim and object of every perhaps one of the ablest statesmen and war is a lasting peace, and this motion administrators of the British Empire in is quite contrary to that idea of a lasting recent years, had occasion to consider this peace, and therefore I am freely follow question of trade after the war just before ing my own convictions in voting against his death, and his judgment, given just it. before his death (it was perhaps the last judgment he gave before his death), was that an economic war with Germany after this war based on revenge would be a pernicious and fallacious policy. Now. Bir, an opinion like that from such an able statesmen as Lord Cromer ought to make us pause before embarking on a policy which is based merely on senti- ment. But what I want chiefly to refer to is the other ground put forward by the bou. member, and that is, the econo- mic argument, that Germans should be excluded from the Colony for ten years after the war, because they introduced here unsound commercial methods. One must accept, of course, the opinion of the Chamber of Commerce that a cash basis for the trade of this Colony, is the most advantageous for the British merchants here. No doubt they are the best judges of that themselves. But one cannot help remembering that credit is an incident of commerce all over the world, and that trade lives by credit, and I do not see how when, after the war, the Ger- mang return to Beighbouring ports, as I suppose they will, we are to prevent able and energetic merchants just outside our border from again introducing into this Colony by means of agents or inter- mediaries a credit system such as exists in hundreds of other trading centres throughout the world. Of course, with out combination between all the importers such a system as the cash system could not be maintained. In other words Sir, I think that the policy proposed will not to be efficacious in effecting the ead for member who represents which it is proposed. That is the answer of the Peace that to the economic argument. As I said side of this Council ought to accept the before, if we are asked to embark on this opinion of the Chamber of Commerce on policy merely because we want to act in that subject, that the support given to accordance with the natural and just that part of the argument by the repre- sentiments, then I say that we are asked to sentative of Messrs. Jardine, Matheson enter an unknown country with a blind & Co. was exceedingly weak. He said leader as guide.
that it did not carry much weight, and he based his argument principally upon OFFICER the vindication of humanity and justice. have listened And what of our large Chinese commer- very attentively to what has been cial community? They happen to own said by the proposer of this motion four-fifths of the wealth of this And other
speakers. and although Colony, and to pay 97 per cent. of the I sympathise with their sentiments, yet rates and taxes. Why, we have them both I fully agree with what has fallen from opposed to the resolution. Therefore,
H.E. THE GENERAL COMMANDING T
the contention
in
the
angwer
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
the argument finde support in one Com- mercial member only. I admit he is a redoubtable member. He represents the Chamber of Commerce,
HON. ME. HOLTOAK-Do I under- stand you to say, Sir, that I am not a commercial man?
His EXCELLENCY-I certainly did not say that. I said you carried undoubted weight as representing the Chamber of Commerce.
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Jackson: There are lot of these banks coming here, won't it interfere with your business!" His answer was:--
Business makes banks, and the more banks in Hongkong the more the Hong- kong bank will make." And his words have been justified by the event. Gentle men, in this debate there have been some very wise words spoken by the Hon. Mr. Lau Chu Pak, one of the Chinese members. He has once more shown that in this crisis the Chinese community, who have rendered splendid service to this Government by offering personal HIS EXCELLENCY then proceeded services, and by giving us much money, pursuing the argument as to economies for have kept their heads. They have not one moment. I have been connected with loat them. He says, and he says truly, the Government for 36 years, and I have that the resolution should not be passed been connected with Council for 30 years. until you find out what the countries If, like Father Aeneas, I could find which surround 118 Charon to ferry
are going to do. across the river These happen me
to be Russia, Japan, Styx, and visit the shades of the dead.
China herself, Indo-China, the Philip- and be able to have speech with some of pines, and I may even include Austra the really big men of the past whom lia. It would be a nice thing-would it Hongkong has produced-William Kes-not- to find Hongkong isolated among wick and Thomas Jackson—and com-
the surrounding and competing ports of municate this resolution to them, excluding åg it does the
these countries. It would advantage her entry into this
nothing, absolutely nothing. It has been port of German ships, said that the Dominions have expressed well, in the words of a popular song which was sung recently by a very do not quite know what is meant there- opinions in unison with this resolution, I fascinating young lady, supported by a very proper figure of a young man, "they by, because I read my papers and Parlia would never believe me." Or, if I could mentary papers very carefully, and I take the wings of an eagle and soar over have
not yet seen any suggestion to England and whisper in the ears of from anywhere that Germans should Thomas Henderson Whitehead, Edward actually be excluded from the King's Osborne. Murray Stewart, C. H. Ross, Dominions after the war. The hon. or C. W. Dickson, some of those hard member who represents the Justices of headed and yound men of the Peace made a strong point that the former days, and tell them that Government should not reject this re- it was proposed lightly, to exclude solution on the ground that it was an German tonnage from this harbour, well, Imperial concern and did not concern again I am sure, they would never be
us. He also expressed the strong opinion lieve me." Gentlemen, if the policy of that we ought to accept the resolution be- the Chamber of Commerce for the last
cause it was endorsed by the Hongkong 36 years I will not go further back-has General Chamber of Commerce. been right, then the Chamber of Com- There are two Chambers of Commerce in merce to-day is wrong. Their watchword the Colony. I have dealt with the latter during those years has been shipping part of the question already.
With re-
of
is the life-bfood of the Colony." I begard to the first part I would say lieve in that. And I believe, further, that we have no intention in another watchword which they preach -ed-that the prosperity of this Colony depends upon the Colony remaining, 4-% far 2.5 possible, & free port. I remember when there was an invasion of foreign banks into this Colony--the Russian bank, a Japanese bank and German bank, and a Dutch bank and someone said to Sir Thomas
escaping the responsibility of not accept- ing this resolution because it deals with We are convinced an Imperial matter.
all the officials at this table-that the proposal contained in the resolution is not in the interests of the Colony. The Chinese community are not in favour of the resolution, if we are to believe their representatives, and I have no doubt we
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