Norwich bulletin., 1919-08-07

Washington, Aug. 6.-Secretary Lansing. before the senate foreign re- lstions committee today. expressed the opinion that the Shantung provision CT the peace treaty did not square with President Wilson's enunciated principle of self determination, but maintained that the treaty d whole carried out substantially the presi- dents fourteen points.
 Declaring his unfamiliarity with many details of the peace citations and of the treaty itself the secretary told the committee he was unable to answer many Of it's questions and re- minded senators in answering others that he merely was expressing his own personal views
 Ask the president the secretary said when pressed for details of the ShantUng and League of Nations ne Eotiztions- On three of the points raised he asked permission to refresh his memory and make statement to the committee later and when he was asked for a detailed construction of the labor and separations clauses, he protested that he could not be expect cd 10 czrrv the minutae of an S0,0O0 word document in his mind and re- minded the committee it was much easier to ask questions prepared be- forchand" than to answer them off hand
 As his own personal views, Mir Lansing said that Japan would prob
 
 the Shantung provision; that the United States should ask no part of the German reparation. that the kali ser could not be legally tried; and that the mutual guarantee of territor 1al integrity from external aggression, as contained in Article Ten of the league covenant. imposed a moral obligation but not a legal one.
 The secretary said il was true that the fourteen points had not been dis cISscG to his knowledge in the prepa- Tatory stages of the peace negotia- HOES: that the American draft of the League Of Nations never was press ed before the conference that the president had asked the peace confer cnce not 10 lay before the French sen ate the record or discussions on the league and that the United States did not know Of secret treaties between the allies and Japan regarding Shan tunG when this country by the Lans- -nS-Isaii agreement recognized Ja-I pans special interest in China.
 IL was nat true. Secretary Lansing said. that he and other members of the American delegation '-protested'' against the ShanIung settlement. that Great Britain refused to permit dis cuSSlOu Of the freedom of the seas by the peace conference; or that any of the American expert advisers had re- signed because tne-- djsa greed with the decision regarding Shantung.
 The general basis on which the trea- ry was framed. said the secretary
  wa common sense and general principles with an avoidance of policy and eXpeiieno-~& Verbatim records of the discussions he told the commit ice had been left in Paris. adding that he would not favor giving to the sen ate the less complete transcripts in the possession of the state department because t might cause ''irrita tion'' to other governments
 Both the Shantung provision and i-he league covenant, the witness said, lad been negotiated largely by the president who alone of the American selegations would be able to reveal details of the discussions.
 The secretary was before the com mittee during the whole of an all day session. and although senators appar- ently had finished their questioning of him when adjournment was taken to- night 1t was thought likely that other points might be brought up when he appears again next Monday MT Lansing asked to be given until that time to prepare s.statements in reply to questions asked today about he Lansing -Isfii agreement. the at --itude of the United States towards Jzpan's 21 demands on China in 1915, and what part this government took toward bringing China into the war. From the trend of the governments activities in an attempt to solve the living cost problem. in the view of several officials. the president proba- ply would deal with these subjects: Enlargement of the provisions of the Lever Food Control Law. to make | it operative after the proclamation of peace and applicable to shoes. cloth | ing. and life necessities in addition to | food \Sgislation to reach the small or in | dividuaI profiteer as well as "big bus mess" extortion- Legislation to define profteering | thereby making easier prosecution un- l der existing laws Lave to make speculation in neces- saries a crime Legislation limiting the margin of | profit on necessities The hoard is the big part of the | game right now. in the opinion of the | government officials to bring down | M0zva prices. and Attorney General | PD finer indicated today that he was largely on the. section of | rhe Lever act dealing with hoarding, | as one of the most immediate means | of forcing prices down. The price gouger can be reached l In another way" the attorney general | said. adding that there wasn't much | difference between hoarding and pro- dteering.
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