New-York tribune., 1919-02-03


! Cheng Hsiang, the foreign minister,
heads the delegation. He is q dipio-
matist of wide experience. and has a
French wife. Hu Wei Teh.- the
minister to France. is a proficient
English scholar. while DR.. Wellington
Koo is one OF Columbia Universlty's
best known graduates. Alfred Tze,
of Cornell, and c. I. Wang is we'll
known in American missionary and
educational circles. He was for years
q leader of the South China rebellion,
which was terminated recently by
agreement.
These FIVE men. all of whom speak
English, make up the Chinese dele
cation. and it is perhaps natural, bottl
on personal grounds and because OF
American policy of self determination,
that American sympathy should be on
their side.
The Japanese, however, contend that
practical and not theoretical or sem
timental settlement of the Far Eastern
situation is necessary to them, as we'll
as of value both to the Chinese people,
who long have been wretchedly gov
erned, and TO the safety of the Orient.
Dr. Wellington Koo, who has made
reputation in America as an orator, is
the foremost spokesman of the Chinese
delegation, and this quiet-mannered,
small~statured Chinese of less than
thirty-tive years is greatly impressing
the delegates of the various nations
with his forensic ability and argument
for Chipa's fundamental rights to lib
erty and self determ inatlon.
The issue is said to have come to the
serious point of warning from Japan
to the other great powers that the set
tlement of the Far Eastern question
\, la a---qcpOrdlnW
point of view.
Start of Observation-Disclosures
The question OF Observation-Disclosures
now before the peace conference ilrst
arose with regard to the Paclilc islands,
which Japan took by conquest from the
Germans BY agreement with Great
Britain in 1916 Japan controls all the
former German possessions north OF
the equator, and the possessions south
of the equator are retained by the Brit
ish colonies, pending decision as to
ultimate control by the present peace
conference.
II is now said that President Wilson
is taking a firm stand with regard to
the Pacific islands occupied by the Jap
anese, Australians and New .Zeaiandefs,
and that he wishes them to help here
after only in mandate on behalf OF the
Australians and New ZeaIanders at first
objected, there is expected to be no
great difficulty in reconciling their
views with Mr.. Wilson's. Indeed, it is
understood that the British Imperial
Cabinet has accepted Mr.. Wilson'S plan
in principle, foreseeing no difficulty IN
the practical control of those valuable
German islands But the Japanese are
insisting upon recognition OF their oc-
Cupation in manner which VIII enable
them to go back to the Far East with
permanent practical results, which wlll
permit them as a matter of right to
fortify the islands that fall to their
control, and with a prestige which Will
enable them to compel recognition OF
their foremost and dominating position
in China.
Involved likewise in the problem is
the question of Eastern Siberia, vast
territory which would be of great value
to Japan, half as large as the United
States, extending from Lake Balkal to
the Pacific, and populated by about
100000 whites. 1t is natural for
nation like Japan, which is constantly
striving, for continental empire ana
which greatly needs room for expan-
sion beyond the limits of its semi
barren islands. to look with longing
eyes toward this magnificent eXpansc
Of fertile and comparatively unpopu-
lated territory Here the situation IS
again involved. Russia and the Boil
sheviki completing the circle, so to
speak, of political intricacy stretching
from Great Britain across America
and the Pacific Ocean and on back to
Russia To sum up the situation;
China's Appeal to the World
China. enormous but impotent, is
making, by means primarily Of Ameri-
can trained students, an impassloned
appeal to the world against her little
island neghbor, Japan, while the
japanese show an inclination to resent.
from the practical viewpoint, any SEN
timental consideration of the Eastern
colossus.
The American Peace Commission has
received The suggestion that a for
in the Pacific could be created as
corollary of the league of nations by
an understanding between America |
and the British dependencies, Austria
lia New Zealand and Canada, in which
the mother country would also be an
effective factor. as would also China
The scheme points out the necessity |
of period of tutelage for China, with
the view ultimately of making that |
country capable OF securing lts own |
destiny, independent of any foreign !
power. In the opinion of those who /
are directing the league of nations, I
however, the project is regarded as
one of passive rather than active in
terfercnce, and Japan, it is believed in I
we'll informed circles, will continue to
dominate Eastern Asia. If it is not
possible for the French to persuade the
Allies actively to intervene in Russia.
it can hardly be expected that they |
will reach an agreement for interfer-
ence in the remoter of the two great
problems, namely the Far East.
The New Zealand delegates here ex-
press gratitude to Japan for loyalty to
the Allied cause. and point out that had !
Japan, in the critical years of the war,
taken the side of Germany, Australia I
and New Zealand would have been cut
off from the rest of the empire.
ternational commerce of the products