The Work in China

The very remarkable success of the committee's work in China was due to the inspiring cooperation of Dr. Paul Reinsch, the American Minister, the brilliant and devoted services of Mr. Carl Crow, the Compub representative, and the effective and unstinted assistance of patriotic American residents in China. "While not completely descriptive of the work or achievements, there is pride and interest in the following niemorial to the President of the United States unanimously adopted by the American Chamber of Commerce of Shanghai, China, indorsing the work of the Committee on Public Information:

Until the outbreak of the war the only American and European news received in China was sent out by Reuters and by the German agency, Ostasiatische Lloyd. The latter agency, which was discontinued on China's entrance into the war, made no pretense of being other than a German agency devoted solely to German news. While Reuters is the most international of existing news agencies, it is edited in London primarily for tlie Britisli colonies and paid little attention to American affairs. The American news published by Reuters consisted very largely of reports of crimes and corruption and American policies were seldom referred to except when British interests were affected. (Some specific examples of this are given in Appendix A.)

Through the connection between Reuters and the Kokusai (the official Japanese news agency) the Japanese are able to present their views in China, as news sent from Tokyo is distributed by Reuters. This means that when there is a controversial issue between Japan and America, Japanese views are given the widest publicity in China, while American opinions are learned here only after they have been edited in London. In the past when there has been an issue between Japan and America only the Japanese side has been fully presented in China. This arrangement betwe'en the Kokusai and Reuters is similar to the arrangement between the Associated Press and Reuters with this important difference — that Japanese news is sent direct to China while American news sent by the Associated Press must come through London.

In addition to this arrangement with Reuters the Japanese have organized a semiofficial news agency which supplies Far Eastern news to Chinese publications. Japanese consuls act as correspondents for this agency, the dispatches being sent in code.

From time to time prominent Americans who visited the Far East have noted this condition and have thought to remedy it by organizing an American news service. But very high cable tolls across the Pacific and the small number of publications in China able to subscribe to a news service always made such an organization impossible. As a commercial proposition an American news agency in the Far East could not be made profitable for many years. Reuters with its long established connections is able to operate here only because of the support it receives from organized British commercial interests and the British Government.

This situation has been partly remedied by the Committee on Public Information which, at the beginning of the war, arranged for the interception in Shanghai of a daily news report sent by wireless from San Diego and later from San Francisco. This service has helped to keep Americans in China in touch with the war activities of their homeland and has informed the Chinese of the part America has taken in the war. Had it not been for this report, Chinese would never have learned of the very important part America has played in the war, for Reuters report has been devoted very largely to telling of British victories and has steadily minimized the part played by the Americans and French. (See Appendix B.)

During the last few months of the war the Committee on Public Information was very active in China and during that time conducted most effective war propaganda and has also perfected plans Avhich if carried out will serve to make American influence in China stronger than it has ever been before. We will mention a few of the activities of the committee :

(1) An American news agency has been organized to take over the work of translating American news and distributing it to the Chinese papers. This news agency is now supplying the news to more than three hundred Chinese newspapers, some of whom are paying for the service. American news now predominates in the Chinese papers, and this American agency, though only a few months old, is now supplying the bulk of the foreign news and comment published in the Chinese press.

As this agency develops it will be able to (a) develop into a news distributing agency which is partly if not wholly self-supporting, (6) supply American officials and firms with translations of comment from the Chinese papers, (c) disseminate commercial and other news which will be of benefit to America's interest and of special help to Americans doing business in China, (d) help the Chinese newspapers to develop and expand their influence, thereby creating vehicles for the expression of public opinion and bringing China in line with the political development of the rest of the world. It is the first agency of its sort to be organized in China and has started with the hearty support of the Chinese publishers.

It may be pointed out that the Chinese newspaper publishing industry is still in its infancy, but is the most rapidly growing business in China. While 10 years ago there were less than a dozen there are now more than 400 dailies published in the Chinese language.

(2) The publication of the war addresses of President Wilson, in both Chinese and English, has been arranged with Chinese publishers. These are to be used as textbooks in the Chinese schools.

(3) More than 400 volunteer agents located in every province of China have been secured. These agents undertake the work of distributing literature and of reporting on Chinese opinion. They are all Americans, either American missionaries or employees of American firms. Although only recently organized they form an effective and efficient force and are able in the shortest possible time to distribute throughout China any literature it is thought desirable to send out. It is the most efficient organization of its kind in the Far East. No other country has now and none can form an organization of this kind, for no other country is so ably represented in the interior of China. (See Appendix 0.)

(4) A mailing list which will comprise the names of prominent Chinese in every locality in China is now being compiled. This list when complete will contain the names of 50,000 of the most important citizens of the Chinese Republic. If kept up to date it will enable the American Government to speak directly to the Chinese people.

(5) The representative of the Film Division of the Committee on Public Information has just arrived in China. The work this division of the committee can do will be very valuable, and doubtless it can be carried on without expense to the Government, for the rental of the films will cover the cost of operation.

(6) The representative of the committee has in mind many other plans for advancing American interests and influence in China. Among them we may mention the promotion of tlie publication of trade magazines, the translation and publication of American books, the preparation of suitable textbooks for the Chinese schools, the collection of crop reports, the distribution of American seed to Chinese farmers, the distribution of American school and college catalogues, etc. Many of these activities will be carried out without expense to the United States Government and only need the attention of the committee representatives.

In conclusion, the American Chamber of Commerce, representing more than 100 American business firms and individuals doing business in China, most heartily indorses the work the Committee on Public Information is doing in China, and expresses the earnest hope that it will continue its work here and will be suppUed with funds sufficient to carry out its program. Unless this is done, America's influence in China may not be felt to the extent that America deserves because her voice will not be heard.

Appendix a

Eeutees and American News

The following excerpts were selected at random from Reuters report of July and August, 1912. They give a fair idea of the character of American news Reuters has always circuLited. Reuters has always emphasized American crime, political graft, and commercial hypocrisy. Until the Committee on Public Information began work in China this was the only news about America received in China and it was from this news alone that the Chinese formed their opinions of current American affairs. The excerpts referred to above follow :

New York, July 26.— There is rioting in the Paint Creek mining district of West Virginia. The miners have cut off telephones and telegraphs and in the absence of the news the papers are publishing the wildest report of flghting with bombs, machine guns, and rifles. The most creditable is that two private detectives were killed.

New "York, July 28. — Communications with Paint Creek the coal mining district of West Virginia, has been restored. One miner was killed in the riots. Many shots were fired, but nobody else was injured.

New York, July 30. — There was a sensational climax to the Rosenthal case yesterday evening when the grand jury indicted Police Lieutenant Becker on a charge of murder. Becker was arrested at the police station and brought to the Criminal Court where he was arraigned. He was remanded, bail being refused. The indictment of Becker followed the evidence of three gamblers who have been detained for some time charged with complicity in the killing. New York, July 31.— A man who lias been arrested in tlie Rosenthal murder case has sworn to an affidavit that three police, officials and a city official divided graft to the amount of gold $2,500,000 during the past year from gambling and other illegal resorts.

New York, August 12. — A negro and six Italians were electrocuted at Sing Sing Prison yesterday, the largest number for one day hitherto.

New York, August 12. — The provisions of the Panama Canal bill excluding ships owned by the American railroads from the use of the canal is arousing the fiercest opposition in railroad circles, which declare that the provision has established a monopoly of the coastwise trade.

The American press has combined to attack the bill in the warmest language as an act of incredible folly and wanton selfishness.

New York, August 15. — In connection with the police graft investigation. District Attorney Whitman has unearthed bank accounts showing that high officials have accumulated as much as a million dollars. Lieutenant Becker, whose salary is $2,000 a year, has deposited $68,845 since November.

New York, August 22. — A thousand pounds sterling reward has been . anonymously placed' at the disposal of the district attorney for the arrest of Lefty Louis and Gyp-the-Blood who are wanted, and for a complete round-up of persons suspected of complicity in the murder of the gambler Rosenthal. The police are not eligible for the reward. The district attorney is receiving written threats of death.

Washington, August 22.— There are indications of a hot political campaign owing to allegations made in the Senate by Senator Boies Penrose of Pennsylvania that the trusts contributed large sums to Mr. Roosevelt's political campaign in 1904. Mr. Roosevelt has published letters showing that he had forbidden the acceptance of such contributions.

New York, August 25. — Julia Curran, an Irish governess, who was found dead in a low-class hotel here, is believed to have been murdered by a man who lured her there. The police describe the death as due to natiiral causes. The coroner's surgeon suggested that the police were trying to hush up the crime in order to save the reputation of a graft protected house.

London, August 26. — The papers emphatically decline to accept President Taft's argument anent the canal bill, which they regard as a mere legal quibble and worthier of a pettifogging attorney than the President of a great Republic.

Appendix B

Reuters reports since the war began have been widely published around Canton, the Chinese papers copying them from the British papers of Hongkong. In view of this fact the following excerpt from a report by an American official in Canton is significant : " I think it will interest you to hear that I have been told by a well-educated Chinese friend that he has not seen any news in the local press of the arrival of the American troops in France, and that the Germans here have been spreading reports that the A,mericans have no heart in fighting against them."

Appendix C

The volunteer agents of the committee recently distributed 50,000 posters, copy of which is attached. These posters were placed on city gates, at the entrances to Yamens and in other prominent places. In many cities they enlisted the help of local officials, who lent. the services of the police. A large number of these agents have reported to the Committee on Public Information as to the reception accorded the posters.

These agents are in frequent communication with the Shanghai office of the Committee on Public Information and it is believed that they supply more complete and accurate reports on Chinese opinion-, than can be secured from any other agency.

Counting the selUng stations of the Standard Oil, Singer Sewing Machine Co., and British-American Tobacco Co., together with chapels, reading rooms, and mission schools, the committee now has at its disposal more than 2,000 places for the display of pictures and posters. These cover every important point in China.