Evening journal., 1919-10-25
SHANTUNG VEXES
PEOPLE OF JAPAN
Returning Business Man
Says Signs Point to Such
Boycott
JAP UNWILLING TO
LOSE BEST CUSTOMER


SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 25.-Shantung
'ihe boil on the worlds neck and the
most Irritating point at issue in the
League Of Nations debate. may be re-
linquished by Japan within the next
so days.
Chlna's boycott, threatening Japan
With the loss Of millions annually, has
apparently turned The trick after pro-
tests, threats and cajolery failed.
The merchants and manufacturers OF
Japan cannot afford to lose their best
customer, even for a es-sear lease on
4 rich peninsula
This is the startling announcement
brought to this country few days
since by l.. G. Ruggles, prominent New
York export and import man, after Is
months in China.
The statements made by Mr.. Ruggles
are said by other prominent Amer
cans. notably Dr. Paul Relnsch, for
mer Minister 10 China, TO describe cor
rectly the indicated conditions In the
Far East today relative TO the shan
tung question.
Mr.. Ruggles has Travelled the Far
East widely. speake Chinese iluenily and
has discussed international affairs with
many of China's big men,
The United States, he says. has no
conception Of the indignation aroused
in China over the international agree
menl whereby the concessions formerly
owned by Germany on the Shantuns
Peninsula were decided over 10 Japan.
Japan" he says. is beginning to
realize that she Is going TO he charged
a terrific lrade-price for the Shantung
lease enc japanese syndicate alone has |
lost upward OF 5.0OO.0O0 yen a month |
during The three months the boycott
has been in force: and the resentment |
IN China Is growing by the minute.
Just before / left China, some three
weeks ago. the indications were that
Japan had about decided TO chuck Tie
whole Shanlung husiness, in an effort
90 save her lrade-face with her biggest
customer
Upon receipt Of the news that The
Chinese delegation 10 the Peace Con
ference had taciily accepted the deci-
sion regarding Shantung.' continued Mr.
Ruggles. every Chinese business house
in Shanghai and lIonk Kong closed It's
doors for a week, as a protest against
tho deal
"As the news spread throughout the
republic the same thing was done In
other cities. and anti-Japanese boy
colts began 90 evidence themselves
vhereye they were worth while.
"a cas- in point Is that Of line OF
new Japanese river steamers which
had been established on the Nangise and
IIoangho rivers. all but supplanting a
line of old English vessels which had
been doing business there for many
years.
"Nhen the news OF the Shantung de-
cision reached China the Japanese line
was promptly abandoned by the Chi
nese shippers and travelling public, win
The result that the old English boats,
Inferior in every way to he Japanese
line. are now crowded with freight and
passengers. while the latter ply up ana
down the rivers In ballast, summed by
The entire populaceW
In order TO supply the markets which
have been affected by the boycott, says
Mr.. Ruggles, industries are sprnging
np all over China. The republic Is not
lsking for outside help TO make its
bovcott "stick"-it Is preparing to sup |
alv within itself. the vast output OF !
yoods formerly purchased from Japan !
'The shantung bargain says the
,oreign trade merchant, us waking !
china more effectively than a century l
N proselytngl Japan doesn't want
China to wake up quite so fastl She Is q
ike circus proprietor with a par
licularly profitable elephant on his a
hands-if the elephant wakes up to a !
knowledge Of his own strength and D
ability to forage for himself, good-by d
ircusr
Mr.. Buggles explained that China felt o
BADLY over the part which America and {
England had played in the Shantung
proceedings; but said that those two 2
oeople stood faces up" with the China d
nan as compared with the Japanese. I
'China simply will not stand for the !
shantung agreement" he declared "and j
,he other powers will do we'll 10 make :
some other arrangement regarding the
peninsula as soon as possible. Only then
viii China permit herself TO be ex-
plotted and elevated TO the position
lmong the powers 70 which lier vast
wealth and resources entitle her"