The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-01
Peace Treaty Circles Are
Shocked, but Sympathize
With Refusal to Sign.
WILSON'S HAN9 SHOWN
Decision to Reject Reserva-
tions Held to Be Meant to
Block Directors Here.
By LAURENCE HILLS.
STAG Corrsspondeaf Of TIE son.


Copyright. 1919: ou rights reserved.
PARIS, June 30.-The action of
China in refusing to sign the treaty
and absenting herself altogether from
the momentous gathering, while not
coming as complete surprise,
nevertheless profoundly shocked and
stirred the conference as representing
the first actual break In allied solidar-
ity. The move has not met with
condemnation, but rather has stirred
sympathy.
BY daring to brook the displeasure
Of the Allies by refusing assent to the
treaty the Chinese have revealed
themselves in new light. and they
have excited an admiration which the
Americans share. Whatever may have
been President Wilson's feeling as he
saw the result of the bargain he made
to save the league, 1t is certain that
three at least Of the American mission
members sympathize deeply with
China and approve her action.
Hope for support Of Protest.
The Chinese do not conceal the fact
that they are looking TO the Ameri-
can Senate and hoping for its moral
support in the protest they have
made. In Presidential circles It was
admitted that this had injected a new
factor into the situation that Is un-
favorable to the treaty.
The japanese delegates are insist
ing that the Chinese ENJOYS have
been instructed by their Government
to sign and threw out the suggestion
that the Chinese delegates acted as
they did because Of fear for their
personal safety. This Is denied by
the Chinese, however, who said they
were obeying the wishes of their
Government as well az of their people.
Their explanation Is generally con-
sidered one of the strongest documents
Of the kind ever issued and is likely to
have a profound effect In America and
throughout the world. The most sur
prising feature was the Big Three's
persistent refusal to recognize the
rights of any nation to sign the treaty
with reservations, on the ground that
there was no precedent for such ac-
tion. The Chinese show that the
Vienna treaty was signed by Sweden
with such reservations. but do not
70 OF hnf ha nj faf faa
did the same with respect to the Hague
treaty, which was a general interna-
tional treaty like the present one.
The Significance of this action for
America. as expressed in diplomatic
circles, is that the President hoped in
his stand with regard to China to head
off reservations in the Senate. on the
ground that the Allies would not ac-
cept reservations as a matter OF pol
icy.
Expect Warming to Have Eject.
All eyes are now turned toward the
American Senate TO see what the effect
of this warning will have. with China
believing that the Senate will support
her position that reservations are per-
missable.
The Chinese statement shows first.
that the Chinese proposed to make res
ervations exactly as America did at The
Hague, and as the Root plan now pro-
vides. Second. that upon this being re-
fused they then proposed to embody
their reservations In separate annex,
for which there is said to be no diplo-
matte precedent Third. that being re-
fused this right their last suggestion was
to be allowed to sign the treaty after
first notifying the President that they
objected to the Shantung articles and
that they would ask further considera-
ton of them,
This suggestion was made June "a.
and drew from the Big Three a declara-
ton against all reservations OF any ma
ture. suggesting to many thst II was
inspired possibly by a dess on the
part of the President to sec he Root
plan.
The Chinese, with all their requests
refused, say in effect in their statement
that the responsibility for their refusal
TO sign rests with the Big Three and not
upon China. The Chinese now say that
II necessary they will make a separate
peace with Germany, as has been pro-
posed for America.
PARIS, June 3o.-In spite OF their re-
fusal to sign the peace treaty Saturday,
the Chinese delegates are not regarded
as having withdrawn from the Peace
Conference and will continue to take
part In the proceedings. The delegation
at present is awaiting instructions from
Pekin, II the Chinese Government is
disposed to sign. II is said in conference
circles. It Is still possible for It's dele
gates 20 do 80.