The Washington times., 1917-01-26
JAP-CHINESE PACT
PLEASES OFFICIALS
State Department Gratified
Over Settlement of Cheng-
chiatun Incident.

Officials OF the State Department
are considerably gratified over the
receipt in Washington of official ad-
vices confirming press reports that
China and Japan have comes to an
agreement over the Chengehistun in
cident in southern Manchuria, in
which a clash occurred between
Chinese and Japanese troops.
The particular point of gratifica
ton to the State Department is the
fact that under the terms of the agree
men, Japan withdraws her demand
for police rights in southern Man
churia and Eastern Inner Mongolia,
and does not press her suggestion for
the appointment of Japanese military
instructors in the Chinese Military
Academy.
Officers To BE Punished.
On the other hand, China agrees
to punish the Chinese officers re,
sponsible for the attack on the Japa-
nese troops, pay an indemnity and
warn Chinese soldiers against a re,
petition of the offense. A copy of
the agreement has been received at
the Chinese legation here.
The negotiations, which were con.
Quoted directly between the Chinese
foreign office and the Japanese min
lister at Picking. have been watched
with anxious interest by officials
here.
In the Japanese demands for po.
lice rights in southern Manchuria and
Eastern Inner Mongolia, and in the
suggestion regarding Japanese mill
tary instructors for China, the Amer
jean Government recognized the sub
stance Of a part of the famous Group
V demands made on China by the
Tokyo authorities in the spring of
1915, at the time of the 'Twenty-one
Demands" In other words officials
here recognized another effort to ex
tend Japanese control over China.
UReasinesa Aroused.
In this same connection some un.
easiness has ben aroused over recent
official comments carried in press
reports from Tokyo on the entente
peace terms, as set forth in the al.
lies reply to President Wilson's peace
note.
According to these reports, Viscount
Motono. the japanese foreign min,
lister, speaking In the House of Peers,
referred to the failure of the entente
reply to President Wilson to make
any allusion to the disposition of
German colonies, and explained that
the reply had purposely omitted some
OF the terms of peace.
He 10 quoted as having said. that.
tC avoid misunderstandings, Japan,
when adhering to the joint reply,
had adopted measures to safeguard
her rights, and that "a satisfactory
understanding existed with the other
members OF the entente"
Inasmuch as Viscount Motono had
been previously discussing the his,
toric status OF TsinE-tao, his remarks
have been interpreted here to indicate
that Japan has some secret under.
standing with her allies whereby she
Is to retain part II not all of the Ger
man colonial possessions in the Far
East, which the japanese occupied or
captured after the outbreak of the
war.
Promised Restoration.
These possessions include Using.
tao. base in China. and the Caroline
Islands. At the time OF the taking
of Tsingtso Japan replied to in.
quiries from the United States and
other nations by stating her purpose
to restore The fortress to China.
Many officials here believe that
President Wilson had the japanese.
Chinese situation expressly in mind
when. in his message to the Senate
last Monday. He proposed an eXten-
sion Of the Monroe doctrine to the
principle that no nation shall have
the right to force its polity on 8noth-
er nation.