7 MAY 1927, Page 2

It would be useless to force Mr. Chen if he

is •actiEdl■• incapable of making any atonement. To seize al, hold various points or to retake Hankow would be a break with the British policy of waiting to revise the Treaties till a comparatively stable Chinese Government has emerged from the confusion. Popular opinion in the United States approves of the State Department's policy of inaction, and the State Department will probably deduce from this what popular opinion would be on the cognate proposal for a forward policy in Central America. The Panama Canal, of course, makes a difference, but evidently not so much difference to most Americans as President Coolidge would desire. • * * * *