Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-07-20
BY C. GOULD LINCOLN.

BY G.. GOULD LINCOLN.
~HANTUNG is a word with which
the opponents of the peace
treaty conjure. Together with
article 10 of the league of ma
tons covenant, the provisions of the
treaty whereby Japan takes over the
so-called German rights and privileges
in the province of Shantung. China
. are under intense fire by the treaty's
srteu-.
Already the strife over the Shantung
provisions has begun in the Senate
Undoubtedly it will lead to one of the
fercest battles over the treaty while
that measure is before the Senate for
ratification. Some of the senators
among them Borah of Idaho, Norris OF
Nebraska, johnson of California and
Sherman of Illinois, have declared
they will never vote for ratification
while Japan is accorded the rights
hitherto held by Germany in Shan
tung.
Densely Populated Territory.
Shantung is called a maritime prov
ince of China because of its extensive
coast line. Translated its name means
east of the mountains. The area is
about $4,000 square miles. or about
the same size Massachusetts. Maine.
New Hampshire and Vermont. Shan-
tung is densely populated. having be-
tween $4,000, 900 and 100000 inhabi-
tants. according to estimates. The
four New England states have total
population of about 100000
The chief wealth of Shantung is in
, it's minerals. particularly its coal de-
oil &c a a
| being worked. Iron ore. gold. galena.
| copper and lead are found in con-
| siderable quantities also in various
| parts of the province. The province
lends itself also to agriculture. and
its products are wheat. millet, Indian
I corn. pulse, arrowroot and other vege-
tables and fruits In the southern part
of the province rice is grown. too. The
, production of wax and silk are other
! industries of the people.
/ For years the western powers have
sought to exploit the resources of
China. have recognized the tremendous
value to their commerce of trade with
this huge eastern empire. Practically
all of the powers. with the exception
of the United States, have treated
, China like a stepchild. On one pretext
or another they have forced China to
yield to them concessions and terri
tory. japan in recent years has been
more pressing along these lines than
the European powers.
Like Balkans in Past
Like the Balkans in the past, China
is reckoned by men who have made
study of the question to be storm
center, a possible breeder of future
wars. When President Wilson an
nounced that the United States had
entered the war to make the world
safe for democracy the Chinese re-
public took heart Its public men ex-
pressed the hope that this would ao-
ply to the far east as well as to the
west Unless there is some adequate
solution of the Chinese question along
the lines laid down by the President
in his statement world peace may be
shattered and before many years.
The uproar which has been started
in this country over the award Of the
German lease and concessions in
China to Japan might with much
justice. in the opinion of senators who
are opposing the Shantung provisions
of the treaty, apply to the leases and
concessions which have been secured
by Great Britain. France and other
nations in the huge country. The
history of China's relations with other
nations, except the United States, &C.
cording to William Reginald Wheeler
Of the faculty of Hangchow College.
China, was a story of defeat ana
losses of Chinese territory and SOW
ereign rights. Great Britain. in 1912.
after the victorious opium war" took
the Islands of Hongkong and later por-
lions of the neighboring mainland.
Russia in 1860 acquired Manchurian
territory. including Vladivostok:
France took Cochin China in 1860 and
in 1885 proclaimed a protectorate over
the nearby territory of AMMAN and
Tongking. A year later Great Britain
conquered and annexed Burma. AS a
result of the Chinese-Japanese war in
1895 Japan took Formosa and neigh
Korea was recognized and the Lao
tung peninsula. including Port Ar
thur, went to the Japanese. Later.
however, because of the opposition of
Russia. Germany and France. Japan
was compelled to give up this terri
tory. Then came Germany and her
seizure of Kiaochow and demand for
concessions in Shantung.
The argument is made that China
requires development and cannot be
developed unless the western nations
and Japan take hand. but it can
hardly be said that the western ma
determination to play part in the
development of China.
How Germany Got Control.
Germany gained her foothold in
Kiaochow and Shantung in 1897. al
most twenty-five years ago. Russia,
France and Great Britain in the west,
and Japan in the east. had been
proffting at the cost of China Ger
manys opportunity came when two
German missionaries were killed. She
Immediately seized the bay of Kiao-
t. h4 q