The Washington times., 1915-06-19
British Influence Alone Has
Forced Any Real Modification
of Demands.
CHINESE IN BLUE FUNK
Three Groups Of Opinion and In
fluence Surround President
Yuan Shi Kai.
BY OSCAR KING DAVIS.

PEKING. May 4--Further considera-
tion Of Japan's modified" list of de-
mands on China. part of which nave
discussed in previous letters. shows that
II there Is any real check upon Japan's
ambition 1t Is to be found in British in
fiuence.
Perhaps II would be more accurate to
say It would be found in Japan's fear of
British action. The substantial altera-
ton made in the demands In group
three reveal this Difference to the feel
ings of Great Britain.
1t will be recalled that this third
group deals with the iron question:
which Is Of such vital Importance to
Japan. especially to the qualification OF
her military ambition.
Mine Ownership.
In the original document OF January
IS this group was headed by a pre-
amble which recited that Japanese
financiers and the Hanyehping company
have close relations at present and tha'
the two governments desired that "tht
common interests OF the two nation:
shall be advanced"
Therefore Japan demanded that tn,
Hanyehping company be made a join
concern; that no mines in the neigh
borhood of those owned by the com
pany-that Is, In the Yangtse region
should be worked without the com
panys consent, and that the compan!
Nhould have a general veto upon an!
enterprise which. II Is apprehended
may directly or indirectly affect the in
terests OF said company"
The sweeping effect of that demand
has already been discussed. Obviousl!
II would give Japan complete domina
ton Of the great Yangtse valley in
dustries. In which British interest
predominate.
The Chinese negotiators protested ant
| power over the Hanyehping company
which would enable It to give any sucl
| guarantee as was demanded. These pro
tests had little apparent effect upon tn
| Japanese.
But British activity throughout Chin
| was very much stirred up by this de
| liberate invasion Of the British spher
Of influence. which Japan had specific
| ally recognized in her original Anglo
| Japanese agreement away back in 1890
tInglishmen in China exerted them
selves to bring the utmost pressure pos
sible to bear upon their own govern
ment In order to check Japanese as
gression In the Yangtse region.
For Stock Control.
The modified" demands contain .
material reduction of group 3. The VI
limited charter. with its absolute vet
on competition. demanded in the fir.
list. has now disappeared. and In plac
of the two original paragraphs there
set forth this comparatively mild d.
mand:
The relations between Japan and tt
| Hanyehping company being very int
mate. II the said company comes to a
agreement with the japanese capitalis
for cooperation, the Chinese govern
ment shall forthwith give its conseI
thereto. The Chinese government fu
ther agrees that without the consent
the Japanese capitalists China will n,
convert the company into a state ente
prise, or confiscate 1t. or cause 1t
borrow and use foreign capital oth'
than Japanese"
That means that Japan now sets
work to obtain stock control of the con
pany-if she hasn't obtained 1t alread
And she has what might be termed
cinch on getting what she wants. F.
the company has a contract for the su
| ply VI lTOIl 70 Japan dt u pIlSt less tDe
the cost Of production.
With the company bound to use I
foreign capital except Japanese, Il
natural operation of that contract w
bring the concern into Japanese hant
sooner or later. There is a small loo
have been congratulating themselv
! literally.
1t is the possibility that Chinese car
tai may be found to maintain the cor
pany and pay off the debt to Japa
thus rescuing 1t from the grip of Il
wreckers and setting 1t free to secu
: new business on a prosperity basis.
Admittedly the Chinese are much be
ter in business than they are in dipl
macy and strife. If this scheme of thei
, were based on the assurance that thu
would have to deal only with busine
men 1t might work.
, So much for group 8 and the Ha
yehping company.
Leasing Coast Territory.
, Group 4 in the original demands co
tained one of the best little jokers
the whole list 1t was a simple a.
innocent thing in appearance-just wh
China would want 1t was merely d
mand that China agree with Japan tn
, she would not ALLEVIATE any terrific
along her ccoast, or island, bay, or ha
Dor to any third power
: If Japan could only have got tn
agreement into treaty form her who
enterprise in China would have be
largely accomplished.
So, in the modified" list, group
takes a more innocent form. China
, make a declaration by herself In q
cordance with the following principl
4, No part of China's coast, bays, harbo
5 or islands shall be ceded or leased
I another power"
Which means that some time after t
: protocol to result from the present neg
. tiations shall have been concluded I
= Chinese government will make a solcr
= announcement to all the world that
!. territory is it's own and none of 1t /
longs to anybody else.
= Now as to group V, which origina
= consisted of seven demands containi
4 the meat of the whole matter. exec
for iron, and revealing the evidence
Japans military ambition
These demands includes the emplo
ment of Influential japanese" as !
ltical, financial and military advise
I throughout China; the right of IaI
nese hospitals, schools and churches
own land "in the interior of China
d Japanese control or joint supervision
c the police departments OF certain u
|. portant" but not named cities III Chin
n the purchase of hxed proportion