The Washington times., 1915-06-09
Declaration Of National Self
Denial Offset by Demands
on China.
POLICY OF SUPPRESSION
International Expert Discusses
Trend Of Negotiations With
Chinese President.
Bv OSCAR KING DAVIS.


PEKING. China. May 7.-Early in the
course of the war japan announced her
intention of joining her ally. Great
Britain, In forcing Germany to relin-
ouish her possessions in China, at Kia-
ochow (Tsingtau. the Germans call iD
and elsewhere in the province of Shan
tung.
This announcement was accompanied
by an assurance to the rest of the world
that Japan intended eventually to re-
store Kiaochow to China. from whom
Germany had forced lease in 1897.
The Japanese ultimatum to Germany,
demanding the surrender Of Kiaochow,
contained this clause: with view to
the eventual restoration of the same to
China"
- Renewed His Pledge.
About that time the japanese ambas-
sador at Washington issued public
statement in which he emphatically re-
newed this specific pledge.
On August 15. Count Okuma. the jap
anese premier, telegraphed to New York,
bition. and hopes to stand as the pro-
tector of peace in the Orient" Nine
days later he sent another telegram for
publication In which he said
AS premier of Japan I have stated.
and I now state again to the people
pan has no Interior motive. no de-
sire to secure more territory. no
thought of depriving China or other
peoples of anything which they now
possess.
It is difficult to conceive a more COM
ration of national self-denial than that.
Naturally 1t was very widely accepted
as such and as having been uttered in
good faith.
be intended after all to mean just what
it said was contained in a statement by
Admiral Suzuki. vice minister of the
Japanese navy, given to the press in
Tokyo on November Z. about the time
Of the fall Of Kiaochow. He said:
While the European war continues
Tsingta will be administered by
Japan. At the conclusion of the war ,
Japan will open negotiations with
China. .ss%
That might have meant, Of course,
that the negotiations to be opened with
war would be for the promised restora-
ton of Kiaochou. But then again 1t
might have meant something entirely
different There was nothing to indi-
AS a matter Of fact, Japan did not
wait until the close Of the European
war to open negotiations with China.
About the close of 1914 Mr.. Hioki. the
Japanese minister at Peking, went home
on leave.
He was in Japan for some time and
in close consultation with his superiors
at the foreign office. Even before his
taken by the Japanese legation here to
arrange for him an interview with
President Yuanshihkai. and soon after
his return to his post the interview was
had.
Called On President.
4
Mr.. Hioki. accompanied by a member of
the legation staff, called on the presi-
dent at his office. President Yuan had
with him one Of the members of the
government.
no official report has ever been made
Of what occurred at that meeting. I am
informed, however, from sources that
cannot be disregarded, that 1t was Of
most extraordinary character.
1t was on that occasion that Mr.. Hioki
presented the demands Of Japan which
have been the subject of negotiation al
most continuously ever since. He pre-
sented them in the shape of a formal
and formidable document, which he ur-
gently requested President Yuan to read
at once.
The presentation was accompanied by
speech by Mr.. Hioki which, 1t is safe
to say, has few precedents in the
language of diplomacy as eXemplitied
by modern great powers. l have re-
ceived report of what he said. 1t
comes to me from a source which l
cannot now disclose. but which l know
to be of such authority that 1 cannot
question the accuracy OF it,
This report does not purport to be
stenographic. but 1t is described to me
as embodying substantially all that Mr..
Hioki said, and is represented as being
very closely in his language. l am as
sured that however much its publica-
tion may be resented. its accuracy can
not be challenged. Mr.. Hioki Is quoted
as saying:
MY government has instructed me
to call on your excellency for the
u-hioh nJ,I S,,.tl a.,