胡适留学日记卷九四四、致Ithaca Daily News书

卷九四四、致Ithaca Daily News书

　　（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

　　〔中译〕

　　致绮色佳《每日新闻》书

　　主笔先生：

　　W·E·格里菲思博士有关日本对华要求之声明，已在昨日上午之《标准邮报》上发表。此间的晚报也作了转载。此文使人不免要发一通议论。

　　据报道，格里菲思博士认为，“让日本掌握中国之命运，这是解决日中两国间争端的最明智之选择”。诚然，我们毫不怀疑博士对天皇帝国所怀之好意，也毫不怀疑其对日本国之了解，然而，我们情不自禁地意识到，他全然不顾一个重要之事实。那就是，他不明白，今日之东方早已不再是几十年前他所看到的那个东方了。当此民族意识觉醒、国民日趋团结之际，没有哪一国会为了解决两国间之争端，而期望去“掌管另一国之命运”。格里菲思博士难道还不曾从他对日本所掌握之材料中，看到反日情绪在中国何等的高涨？难道他还没有注意到，早已席卷华夏大地之反日运动乎？他也不想一想，纵然日本对中国之统治，在短时间内会取得像模像样之成功，中国人难道就会长期容忍日本来掌握他们自己之命运乎？

　　可是，在其声明中也有一点道理。那便是，“保持中国之团结、强大，开发中国之资源，这对日本是相当有利的”。中国乃日本之屏障，正如中国一句老话所言，“唇亡齿寒”。基于此理，应更好地促进两国相互理解。但是，倘若日本认为，它可以凭借武力统治中国，管理中国之事务，以此即可取得上述“有利条件”，那它便大错特错了。不论过去还是现在，日本在中国之所作所为无异于是在中国人心中播下仇恨之种子，也是在持人道主义之各国的眼中自降身价。

　　格里菲思博士还告诉我们，奥克姆伯爵“欲以完全之正义对待中国”。这位博学之博士难道是从日本对华之要求中推演出“完全之正义”这个观念乎？我们不禁要诧异，他所谓“完全之正义”的尺度究竟是什么？

　　胡　适　谨上

　　书中所驳之W. E. Griffis为绮色佳人，曾居日本，著书甚多，甚负时名，其言不无影响，故不得不一辨之。

　　后得Dr. W. E. Griffis来书，其略如下，似是遁词：

　　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…

　　〔中译〕

　　余在给西雷寇《标准邮报》之声明中，谈到关于日本事务之观点，这并非余本人之所见。你所反感之报导，是不太确实，不过这也不是余自己之看法……

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