胡適留學日記卷九四四、致Ithaca Daily News書

卷九四四、致Ithaca Daily News書

　　（五月四日）

　　EditorIthaca Daily News:

　　Sir—Dr. W. E-Griffis's statement concerning the Japanese demands on China, published inthe Post-Standardyesterday morning and quoted in the evening papers here, calls for a word of comment.

　　"Let Japan direct the destinies of China," Doctor Griffis is reported to have said. "This is the wisest course to pursue in settling the troubles between the two nations."While we do not doubt the doctor's good will towards the Mikado's empire, nor his knowledge of that country, we can not help feeling that he has ignored one important factor. He has failed to see that the Orient of today is no longer the same Orient as he saw it decades ago. In these days of national consciousness and racial solidarity no nation can ever hope to "direct the destinies" of another in order to settle the trouble between them. Has Doctor Griffis failed to learn from his Japanese source of information that there have already been very strong anti-Japanese sentiments, nay, anti-Japanese movements everywhere in China? Does he think that the Chinese will long acquiesce to Japan's direction of their destinies, even if she can temporarily succeed to do so?

　　There is, however, an element of truth in the statement that "it is for Japan's own advantage for China to remain united and strong and to develop her resources." China is the bulwark of Japan, and as the Chinese proverb goes, "the destruction of the lips chills the teeth." It is for that very reason that there should be a better understanding and relationship between China and Japan. But if Japan thinks she can acquire this "advantage" by dominating over China and directing her affairs by force, then she is gravely mistaken. What she has done and is now doing to China is nothing but sowing the seeds of hatred deep in the hearts of the Chinese and lowering her own esteem in the eyes of the more humanitarian nations.

　　Doctor Griffis also tells us that Count Okuma "intends to be perfectly just to China". Does the learned doctor deduce the notion of "perfect justice" from the Japanese demands? We wonder what his criterion of "perfect justice" could be.

　　Very sincerely yours

　　Suh Hu

　　〔中譯〕

　　致綺色佳《每日新聞》書

　　主筆先生：

　　W·E·格裡菲思博士有關日本對華要求之聲明，已在昨日上午之《標準郵報》上發表。此間的晚報也作了轉載。此文使人不免要發一通議論。

　　據報道，格裡菲思博士認為，「讓日本掌握中國之命運，這是解決日中兩國間爭端的最明智之選擇」。誠然，我們毫不懷疑博士對天皇帝國所懷之好意，也毫不懷疑其對日本國之瞭解，然而，我們情不自禁地意識到，他全然不顧一個重要之事實。那就是，他不明白，今日之東方早已不再是幾十年前他所看到的那個東方了。當此民族意識覺醒、國民日趨團結之際，沒有哪一國會為了解決兩國間之爭端，而期望去「掌管另一國之命運」。格裡菲思博士難道還不曾從他對日本所掌握之材料中，看到反日情緒在中國何等的高漲？難道他還沒有注意到，早已席捲華夏大地之反日運動乎？他也不想一想，縱然日本對中國之統治，在短時間內會取得像模像樣之成功，中國人難道就會長期容忍日本來掌握他們自己之命運乎？

　　可是，在其聲明中也有一點道理。那便是，「保持中國之團結、強大，開發中國之資源，這對日本是相當有利的」。中國乃日本之屏障，正如中國一句老話所言，「唇亡齒寒」。基於此理，應更好地促進兩國相互理解。但是，倘若日本認為，它可以憑藉武力統治中國，管理中國之事務，以此即可取得上述「有利條件」，那它便大錯特錯了。不論過去還是現在，日本在中國之所作所為無異於是在中國人心中播下仇恨之種子，也是在持人道主義之各國的眼中自降身價。

　　格裡菲思博士還告訴我們，奧克姆伯爵「欲以完全之正義對待中國」。這位博學之博士難道是從日本對華之要求中推演出「完全之正義」這個觀念乎？我們不禁要詫異，他所謂「完全之正義」的尺度究竟是什麼？

　　胡　適　謹上

　　書中所駁之W. E. Griffis為綺色佳人，曾居日本，著書甚多，甚負時名，其言不無影響，故不得不一辨之。

　　後得Dr. W. E. Griffis來書，其略如下，似是遁詞：

　　I gave the reporter in Syracuse the Japanese view of affairs, not mine, and the reports you justly object to are not accurate, nor my views…

　　〔中譯〕

　　余在給西雷寇《標準郵報》之聲明中，談到關於日本事務之觀點，這並非餘本人之所見。你所反感之報導，是不太確實，不過這也不是餘自己之看法……

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