The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1919-08-22
WITNESS GIVES A
|. FIRST HAND STORY
OF NEGOTIATIONS
AS TO SHAM TUNG
Prof. Williams, State Department
Expert, Says He Objected 10
Decision, But That It Was Not
Cause Of His Resignation.
TELLS OF CONFERENCE
wtTH THE PRESIDENT
Asked Wilson II He Did Not
Think Transfer Of Province to
Japan Violated His IA Points,
But Received Negative Reply.


Washington. Aug %. - 4 first
hand story OF the negotiations which
lresultcd in thr troaty provision Civ
Ing Japan control In shantuna prov
] ilncc. china Wns iotn tn the senate
Foreign relations committee today by
Professor D. T. Williams. formerly
! ithe state department expert on Far
Eastern affairs. who acted al a tech
nical adviser to the American peace
ldelcgates.
Professor Williams said he had
t'obiccied very strongly to the shan
tung settlement but that his rcsir-
lnatiOn from the peace commission
ihad not been due 10 his opposition.
pn April 2s the witness said
tiros dent Wilson sent for him and
asked HIM which Of the proposed al
tcrnativeH would be- less Injurious 10
'hina-the transfer Of the German
lshautnng rights to Japan, or Insist
cnre on the execution uf lapan's
treaty with china growing lui of the
famous - demands Of o..
N IsOurI BS Irum.s-.
n "i rsuiied. continued Professor
Williams. that hoped neither
lcourse would bc found necessary.
,rhc president said that unfortunately
|iGrcat Britain and France were
ihOund 10y certain engagements with
Japan to support Japan's claims in
,Shantung ana that Lloyd George said
lhe would bow only on tho cousldera-
hon that the 1873 treaty was exc
rujcd.
n The president added that "a, wtF
hecm,d To have been fought to cs-
ltsbiikh the sauctity Of treaties and
w while some of them were unsciuuHhle
II looked as though Il would d, ne
fssary 10 recognize them
III The witness said he suggested that
L Iffssass faA N.t
force It ought not To- be binding. bu,
tnat the president replied japan
might not be willing 10 recognize
that they were made by force. Pro-
fcs,Jr Williams then suggested that
Ithe treaty have blanket provision
tina, an German property In 'hinu
'Nshould be turned over To CHINA md
by Japan should hc retained To chs
|'nd within one year
Oppo 81 Ihc Decision
Later the expert advisers Of the
|ifrltish French and American dcic-
|tgaiion Joined in memorandum
|l'aying that transfer Of the G'rman
.lShAntung rights TO Japan would 'r
|, the more c.lrublc ~ the ,wo courses
.isuggcsted. Professor williams and
iAc1iay a British expert iuiuod In q
memorandum siN inE china ought NOT
be compelled 10 Jrr'pt either ul,Cru-
',atiNc.
I uhkrd tN' president fllu l'ro-
i fcssOr Williams. whether the pro-
fnossd spt'leuuTuf was uuf contrary 'u
hlH ~ points and he s'id th7t unfor-
iitunatcly he did not think there was
1inuyth!ng in the ~ points exactly COZ 70
Herring the case. Later ] called attvp-
diiion to hiH stouut Vernon addrt IS
|twhich seemed TO cover the matter
Did the president make amy
N csponseH" asked senator Johnson.
['rcpuhliCin. California.
/ - nnlv rscriNrd uu'" fr"m m"
olprrsidcuts secretary thanking me for
N hc memorandum
/. Two days later Professor Williams
n aid hc was Informed ul the dtcisiou
lthkrn adding rhpt nr : y Horn
I'brck the other American adviser on
Isfar eastern affairs had Conourrcd IN
Nlubirctinr but that the, did not filn
a protsst .lt,r IN. decision was au.
Nh.oiiurcd