p. 16 | IN THE WORLD-PROBLEM

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 10, 1900

IN THE WORLD-PROBLEM

the plot is growing thicker and thicker. It is now certainly known that the German minister, Baron Von Ketteler, was massacred, June 18, while on the way to the Chinese Foreign Office. For a time it was hoped that an international force might reach Peking in time to rescue the others; but now that appears to be hopeless, because of the vast army and other defenses that stand in the way: an army of ninety thousand is besieging Tien-tsin, and one hundred and forty thousand block the way to Peking. The Chinese have pierced the Grand Canal, and flooded the country for miles in front of Peking. It is now recognized by the Powers that it will require a mighty army for them to make any headway at all. Japan could have furnished the army long ago, but international jealousy would not allow her, nor any other single Power, to land so great an army as was needed. But now the danger to the envoys and legations has grown so great that the other Powers have consented to let Japan have a free hand, until the forces of the other Powers can be brought to the scene of action.

On receiving the news of the death of Von Ketteler, the German emperor, in sending to China a body of marines, said to them: “Do not rest until the German flag, joined to those of the other Powers, floats triumphantly over China’s flag, and until it has been planted on the walls of Peking to indicate peace to the Chinese.”

Germany proposes to send fifty thousand troops and several war-ships; the United States has ordered a further force of over six thousand. It is certain that henceforth the Powers will have on their hands, in China, a much larger “sick man” than they have ever had in Turkey. Watch “the way of the kings of the East,” for that is the secret of it all.