Evening star., 1919-08-22

Prof. Williams Explains Ne.
gotiations Giving Control
to Japan.
OPPOSED TO DECISION

A first-hand story OF the negotia-
tions which resulted in the treaty
provision giving Japan control in Shan
tung province, China. was told to the
Senate foreign relations committee to-
day by Prof. E. T. Williams. formerly
the State Departments expert on far
eastern affairs, who acted as a techni-
cal adviser to the American peace dele
gates.
Prof. williams said he had "ob-
jected very strongly" to the Shantung
settlement, but that his resignation
from the peace commission had not
been due to his opposition.
President Sought His Advice.
On April %, the witness said. Presi-
dent Wilson sent for him and asked
him which of the proposed alterna-
tiveS would be less injurious to China
the transfer of the German Shantung
rights to Japan or insistence on the
execution of Japan's treaty with China
growing out of the famous twenty
one demands of 1918.
Il replied" continued Prof. Williams.
that L hoped neither course would be
found necessary. The President said
| that unfortunately Great Britain and
France were bound by certain en-
| Japan's claims in Shantung and that
Lord George said he would bow only
on the consideration that the 1915
treaty was executed.
THE President added that the war
seemed to have been fought to estab-
| lish the sanctity of treaties, and while
some of them were unconscionable il
! looked as though it would be neces-
sary to recognize them"
niscusses 1Q15 Treaty.
The witness said he suggested that
since the 1915 treaty was exacted by
| force it ought not to be binding. but
that the President replied Japan
might not be willing to recognise
| that they were made by force. Prof.
Williams then suggested that the
| treaty have a blanket provision that
all German property in China should
be turned over to China and that any
rights taken from Germany by Japan
should be returned to China within
! one year.
| British, French and American dele
cations Joined in memorandum
saying that transfer of the German
Shantung rights to Japan would be
| the more desirable of the two courses
| suggested. Prof. Williams and Nc
| Clay. a British expert. Joined in
memorandum saying China ought not
| to be compelled to accept either al
| tentative.
Asks About Fourteen Points.
81 asked the President" said Prof
Williams. whether the proposed set
tlement was not contrary to his four
teen points, and he said that unfor-
tunately he didn't think there was any
thing in the fourteen points exactly COW
ering the case. Later, l called attention
to his Mount Vernon address which
seemed to cover the matter"
! did the President make any re-
sponse?" asked Senator johnson. re-
publican, California.
81 only received a note from the
Presidents secretAry thanking me for
the memorandum"
Other Adviser Like Minded.
Two days later, Prof. williasns said.
| he was informed of the decision taken.
| adding that DR.. S. X. Hornbeck, the
| other American adviser on far eastern
| affairs, had concurred in objecting,
but that they did not file a protest
after the decision was announced
| Asked whether his resignation was
due to any particular reason. the Wit
ness replied:
mo. My leave of absence from the
University of California was about to
expire. I would have come home in
/ any case"
Doubted Shantung Effect.
| In reply to question as to what
effect the Shantung decision might
have on China, Prof. Williams said:
Il felt it would raise a strong pro-
test from China and was tending to
strife rather that to peace. / felt it
was also injurious to our own in
terests as China had entered the war
under our advice. and that by the
transfer Of these rights to Japan we
would lose prestige in the far east.
MY own opinion Is that the desi-
sion was an unfortunate one. that
the leased territory of Kiaochow and
the railways and mines of Shantung
ordinarily would have gone to China
at the conclusion of peace; that they
had been taken from China py force
and by an act of .piracy.