Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-07-17
Senator Sherman Scores
Shantunq Provision as
SuperIative Treachery

Urging the Senate to refuse ac-
ceptance of the Shantung provision
in the peace treaty. Senator Sherman
republican, of Illinois declared today
that the section giving Japan control
Of Shantung peninsula so taints and
poisons the professed altruism with
which the league of nations was
heralded as to crown it the superla-
tive treachery in the history of mod
ern times"
The provision. asserted the speak
er. would aid Japan in becoming the
saber RATHER of the world" and
strengthen her for the day when she
might try. like Germany. for world
empire. In such an eventuality, he
continued. and with British and Jap
anese interests in the orient 'identi-
CAL" the United States might well
look to the safety of the Philippines.
"Why China should be exploited,
he said, her territory absorbed in
the guise of leaseholds. her port cities
mining and railway rights seized by
Japan, does not appear except under
the rule of covetous desire coupled
with military force.
Says Kaiser Could Do No More.
TT is material to notice under the
japanese constitution the emperor
has the supreme command of the
army and navy, declares war. makes
peace and concludes treaties. The
kaiser could do no more in the days
he menaced Europe and the world
'sIt is as plain as the monday sun
that the government is autocratiC
and that it will add Chinese province
upon province. concession upon con-
cession until an Asiatic kaiser will
dominate the aHalfs OF ASIA anu the
Pacific ocean.
'In 1897 Germany, protesting to be
exasperated by the murder of two
exiled German missionaries by ignor-
ant fanatics in Shantung sent Ger
many's warships to the bay, lombard
ed the ports, landed troops and oc-
cupied the territory. In settlement
she compelled the Chinese govern
ment to sign ninety nineyear lease
with concessions for railway building
and mining. A mere lease of property
by one government to another does
not divest the lessor government of
sovereignty of the territory so leased.
Japan entered the war for the express
purpose Of driving the Germans out
of the leased territory. The expulsion
of Germany gave Japan no sovereign
rights there which she has since as
sumed.
Japan and Germany Compared.
THE harshness of Japanese occupa :
ton, the cruelties inflicted on the
helpless inha bitants. the seizure of
property and the resulting footing
irresistibly turn ones thoughts to the
German conduct in Belgium. We de-
nouuce one in unmeasured terms. We
are asked to approve the other and
declared it justified in holy cause.
int n in a
limited time to withdraw from Shan
tung and return that country to the
Chinese. In every instance in which
Japan has pledged herself on the
continent of Asia to occupy Temporal
rily she has made that occupancy per-
manent.
The United States exercises sover-
eighty in the Philippines. Japan's
expansion is seward as well as land
ward. Her ambition covers the Pa
cific ocean as well as the Asiatic
mainland. With Germany in per-
that a practical partition resulting
from a union of those two powers in
Europe and Asia is no impossible
event.
Japan assumes sovereign rights
over Chinese territory. Mere refine
probation will not remove this i'm
bending truth. Japan will not sur
render this advantage SO gained.
Article 10 and the portion of the
treaty relating to Shantung are twin
brothers of a common iniquity. They
speak the language of joint outrage
and bear all the evidence of deliber
ate. prearranged conspiracy.
Sees Great Britain Observant.
Great Britain bore a large part in
the war. The lifeboard of Great
Britain is her foreign trade. We
are without adequate experience in
foreign trade. We are upon the
Continued on Second Page.)