The first of these is mainly under foreign control and must now be
regarded as permanently lost, until such time as China becomes strong
enough to defeat Japan in war; and the whole of Manchuria has come more
or less under Japanese control. But the Shantung Railway, by the
agreement reached at Washington, is to be bought back by China--five
years hence, if all goes well. Thus, except in regions practically lost
to China, the Chinese now have control of all their more important
railways, or will have before long. This is a very hopeful feature of
the situation, and a distinct credit to Chinese sagacity.
Putnam Weale (Mr. Lennox Simpson) strongly urges--quite rightly, as I
think--the great importance of nationalizing _all_ Chinese railways. At
Washington recently, he helped to secure the Shantung Railway award, and
to concentrate attention on the railway as the main issue. Writing early
in 1919, he said[100]:--
_The key to the proper control of China and the building-up of
the new Republican State is the railway key_.... The revolution
of 1911, and the acceptance in principle of Western ideas of
popular government, removed the danger of foreign provinces being
carved out of the old Manchu Empire. There was, however, left
behind a more subtle weapon. _This weapon is the railway_. Russia
with her Manchurian Railway scheme taught Japan the new method.
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