The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-20
nese decline to TX any dater
Could Not FIX n Date.


yes; but l think II is fair to them 20
say, not In the spirit of those who
wished II to be within their choice, but
simply that they could not at that time
say when II would be.
Senator Johnson-The economic priv
ileges that they would retain would give
them a fair mastery over the province,
would they not or at least the Chinese
think so7 Let me put Il in that fashion,
please.
The President--I believe they do,
Senator. I do not feel qualified to Judge.
1 should say that that was an exag-
gerated visw.
Senator Johnson-But the Chinese feel
that way about 1t, and have SO expressed
themselves?
The President-They have so ex-
pressed themselves.
Senator Knox-Mr. President. the eco
nomic privileges that they originally ac-
quired in Corea, and subsequently in
inner and outer Mongolia. and In north
ern and southern Manchuria, have al
most developed into a complete sover-
eighty over those countries; have they
not?
The President--Yes. Senator. In the
absence Of a League of Nations they
have.
Senator Knox-You think the League
do your
The PRESIDENT am confident Il would.
Senator New-Mr. President, does not
this indefinite promise of Japan's sug-
gest the somewhat analogous case Of
Epglands occupation of Malta? She has
occupied Malta for something like a GEN.
tury, l believe, under very similar
| promise.
The President--well. Senator, I hope
| xxrlII I'd do n
that question.
Senator F'all-Mr. President. speaking
Of the duty of. defence in reference to
sovereignty, and Of aggression with ref
eIence to sovereignty. in constituting
these different articles OF the league, I
have been curious to know who will
defend the mandate territories or col
onies II there should be external agrees
sion. 3D..
| The President-Primarily the man
| datory power.
| Senator Fall-The mandatory power
would have that character Of sover-
| eighty over the possession which would
compel 1t as n duty to defend the man
date province?
Tho President-Yes.
Senator Fall-Then a qualified sover-
| eighty would, in that instance at any
| rate, compel the mandatory OF the
The President should put 1t this
way Senator: We had in mind through
out the whole discussion of the man
date idea the analogy Of trustees. The
States taking those under mandates
would be in the nature of trustees, and,
Of course. It is part of the trustees duty
to preserve intact the trust estate.
Senaor Fall-But out of the funds of
the trust estate?
|
Senator Fall-Mr. President. J will
not pursue that line at this time. I will
say very frankly that I have prepared
| some questions which i wanted. for my
own purposes, to put down in writing,
and i had expected TO ask them in
sequence OF you after the other Senators
had concluded. It will, however. evil
IDENTIFY take quite long while II we
pursue the line which we are now pur-
suing, and particularly II the Senators
themselves argue their own interpreta-
lions of the different clauses in the
treaty.
Senator MoCumber-Mr. President. ]
should like to get as definite an under
standing as ! can. at least of how these
promises OF Japan to return Shantuns
are evidenced to-day. In what from dc
they appear: -~f
In a Process Verbal.
The President-They are evidenced In
a process verbal of the so-called Coun.
Gil of Four. The name that we ourselves
used was very much more pretentious
We called ourselves the Council OF the
Principal Allied and Associated Powers
but the four who used to confer, OF
rather the nve, because Japan was there
Of course. at that time.
Senator McCumber-The principa
points were taken down in writing and
read over and compared and preserved
were they?
The Presldent-Not read over and
compared. but preserved. The process;
each day was this, Senator: The mat
tiers discussed were summarized and thu
conclusions reached were recorded In 6
process verbal copies OF which were dis
tributed within twenty-four hours, anC
of course II was open to any one Of
the conferees to correct anything they
might contain. Only IN that sense were
. they corrected.
Senator McCumber-where are thos'
records kept now
The President-They are in Paris. sir
Senator McCumber-Is there any OBJ
lection to their being produced for th'
committee?
The PRESIDENT think there is a yer,
serious objection. Senator. The reason
, we constituted that very small confer
ence was that we could speak with thu
, utmost absence of restraint, and / thinl
, It would be a mistake to make use o.
those discussions outside. l do not re
member any blazing indiscretion OF m.
own. but Hhere may be some.
, Senator McCumber-In those conV "
, sations 1t was fully understood that ia
, | pan was TO return Shantung as soon a
possible?
The President-Yes. sir.
Senator McCumber-Was there any
thing stated as to what was meant b,
"as soon as possfb1s"-that is. to plac,
It within any DEFINITE period at all?
The President-No, sir no. We RELIEF
on Japan's good faith in fulfilling tina
promise.
Senator McCumber-was there any
: thing outside? or go too far with m,
questions you can signify 1t, Mr.. Presi
dent.)
: The Presldent-How do you mean out
side. Senator?
r Senator McCumber-Was there any
: thing said by Japan as to anything tina
: she would want to do before she turned
the territory over TO China?
The President-No. nothing was men
E toned.
Senator McCumber-Then. "as soon a.
t possible" would naturally mean, would
l II not. as soon as the treaty has beet
! signed under which she accepts thu
. transfer from Germany.
4 The President-Weli. l should say tina
(. would mean that the process should
begin then. OF course, there would b.
many practical considerations of whicl
IV I-.Ae IA