CANDID VIEW OF EAST AND WEST.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3204, 27 April 1911, Page 7

CANDID VIEW OF EAST AND WEST.

MR. HWANG OUTSPOKEN. “WE CAN ACQUIRE YOUR STRONG POINTS.” “Your civilisation and your forms of government we may gain in a few years, but the good qualities, in which we are superior to you, you cannot gain in hundreds of years.” These words were spoken last evening by Mr. Yung Liang Hwang (Chinese Consul) in the course of an address which lie delivered at Wellington recently. Taking as his principal topics “The Yellow Peril” and “The White Peril,” Mr. Hwang, in the course of a somewhat striking address, dealt with the outlook and potentialities of the white and yellow races. The Eastern nations, said the- speaker, viewed the Western nations as a “White Peril” just as the Western people viewed those of the East as a “Yellow Peril.” Personally, he saw no peril, either in the white or yellow. The white nations showed superiority in thengreat ambition for lordship over others. This, said Mr. Hwang, lie regarded as a good quality, and not one that constituted a peril. By their organising and executive ability, the whitq races had conquered the world commercially. Their armies and navies were splendidly and thoroughly organised. Their genius for invention was a, third factor that had assisted to raise the white races to an unequalled standard of civilisation. These qualities, Mr. Hwang declared, he regarded not as giving rise to any peril, but as points in which the Western nations were superior to those of the East. Turning next to points in which the yellow nations were superior, .Mr Hwang stated it as his own opinion that they must be credited with an unsurpassed) integrity and good.! faith in commercial dealings, both local and international. The yellow races excelled, not by sword or by Dreadnought, but by that ingrained quality of integrity born in heir citizens. Secondly, the yellow races excelled 1 in family love. “God,” said Mr. Hwang, “has multiplied our numbers because the Chinese love their parents. It is a sacred thing for a man and a woman to marry and have a home.” A modesty in ambition for “the almighty dollar” was cited by the speaker as still another instance in which the yellow races were superior to their white brethren. Confucius had said: “Conquer others, by righteousness rather than by force.” This was the Chinese intention. Civilisation, forms of 'government, and other matters akin were easily gained, but the Eastern races possessed qualities that other races could not gain in hundreds of years. . Speaking of religious doubt, Mr Hwang expressed the opinion that it was better to -be a follower of some religion, even of an inferior one, than to have no religion at all. Every human being in the world needed a constant guide and helper. We should believe what was good in any religion. . Mr Hwang spoke from personal experience of the kindly Christian influences that reigned in the great American universities and declared that days spent in these institutions were remembered as the happiest of his life.