The Washington times., 1915-06-17
JAPANS
AGGRESSION
ACT Of ROBBER
international Brigandage While
SeIf-Appointed Police Look
the Other Way"
BY OSCAR KING DAVIS.

up! says the h1EnWayInaH' - ~"
move or speak you will force me to
kill you. and then you will be respon-
sible for murder"
In precisely those terms. albeit not
in those words. Japan is conducting
it's case with China. 1t Is matter
OF international brigandage that Is
going on out here these days, and 1t is
possible only because the self-ap-
pointed policemen. who have agreed
among themselves over and over
again to keep the peace. are all look
ing the other way while one of their
number pulls off the robbery.
I'm order to preserve the peace Of
eastern ASIA" says Japan to China.
you hand over to us straightway
your railroads and mines, especially
your iron, give us control Of your af-
fairs political, financial. and military.
as we'll as what land we want in the
Interior, and make japan the inter-
national protector of China. Other
wise China will be held responsible
for the disturbance of the peace OF
the far east. despite Japan's utmost
efforts to preserve II.
Unprovoked Aggression.
This description of the situation is
| neither far fetched nor fanciful. 1t
Is under rather than over. drawn.
Japan is doing It's best to give a more
pleasant face with the rest of the
| world. but when the mask is stripped
of there Is revealed a perfectly plain
case OF unprovoked national aggres-
sion on n colossal scale.
When Great Britain determined to
blot out the Boer republics It mad
public justification OF its action by
the plea that the Dutch governments
were retarding civilization. Japar
makes no such plea. In fact, II make.
no plea OF justification whatever.
| When bismarck was prepared for the
great German act of aggression or
! France in 1870 he was clever enough tc
maneuver France into a position OF
technical wrong. Japan has endeavorec
BY all sorts OF stratagems to maneuvel
China into that position In this emerg
ency. But the Chinese have been smar
enough to avoid anything that nigh
give a color of cause to the Japanes,
to employ armed force.
Tss ne saTns tba wsys ess'
secret Cor at least a few days. are thu
always in the lead with their charac
terizatiop Of what has been done. an
the truth is always up against tn
falsehood.
That is the situation with regard t
the latest move of Japan. On April
the japanese minister. Mr.. Hioki. hand
ed to the Chinese minister of foreig
) affairs, Mr.. Lu, the document which
described as "Japan's modified list" Q
demands.
Dechm rhe text st.ts Gt sh' has only nG
any one outside the small group q
those Immediately connected with tn
negotiations. Meantime the impressio
has gone out from Japanese sources
Japan has made material concession
from her original demands, and ths
. she is really taking an attitude OF eS
ceptional conciliation and friendliness.
much is made OF her magnanimous offt
to return Kiachow to China after III
close Of the European war. But thel
Is a very soft pedal on the condition
those conditions are such that in IA,
the proposed surrender would be
clinching OF Japan's hold in Kiaocho
bay.
Submits New Instructions.
Tho last conference for general 6i
. cCssion Of the demands was held ,
| April II. 1t was the twenty-four
, meeting of the negotiators. When Il
;, :, day came for the next meeting the ia
anese minister asked for a postpon
= nent In order to communicate with
government. That postponement last
for a week. and then. on the 2sth, N
2 Hioki signihed his readiness to subn
= the result Of his new instructions fro
I Toxic.
: The status of the negotiations VIII
the conferences ended was substantial
+ tically all OF the first group. concerniI
~ the province OF Shantung, and to pra
d tically all of the second group, so far
1t concerned south ManChuria, but h
t that group, although indicating a wi
ingness to make some concessions !
s garding Mongolia
Il The Chinese were holding out for
;, cided modification of the third gror
t relating to the Hanyehping Compa.
> and the Yangtse Valley Iron Works a
mines. They had agreed In principle
n the fourth group. the general dema
=. for nonalienation OF Chinese coastal t.
n standing out. as firmly as the Chine
can, against the fifth group, with
} seven demands, all of which invade I
l. sovereignty and independence Of the L
ton.
The Notifications.
Now for Japan's qualifications" 7
u preamble to the first group. with
e. cynical expression OF desire to ma
At tain the general peace of eastern A
- and further strengthen the friendly
10 lations and good neighborhood exist
w between the two nations, was
y changed. Japan Is evidently determir
n to be a good neighbor' to China.
is She will borrow land. ircn. harbo
coalng stations, mines. railroads, a
ul pretty nearly everything else in
T. country, and In return will lend pol
cal financial. and military SUPERVISE
~ police administration. armed protects
N and as much military ambition as S
~ can induce the Chinese to take.
re Japans text of article /, group !,
80 vised demands. consists Of lust
he word showing how great the modih
h. ton has been. That word Is sam
That is. the modified demand is eXac
the same as the original
There was greater change In
second article. The original demand
ouired china to engage not to ali
= ate territory in Shangtung or on
III coast to any third power. The mod
cation suppiants engages with g
ct clares" That Is. China VIII declare
nd all other powers her intention not
Oh ALLEVIATE any such territory.
-, That is a genuine modification,
u | Ha,ich I