The Butler weekly times and the Bates County record. (Butler, Mo.) 1918-1950, 1919-08-07

distinguished jurists.
Great crocodile tears are being
shed by political adventures (of thu
pot-house Variety over the DISPOSE
ton made in the treaty of peace o
certain interests that Germany had il
China. Such weeping for Chinese
never occurred in this country before
Its purpose, to the thoughtful, is ap.
parent. 1t is propaganda, pure and
simple. We have experienced Ger
man propaganda before. The ear
marks cannot be mistaken. Let us
see what all of these crocodile tear.
are about. The Peace Treaty reads
Germany renounces, in favor OF
Japan, all her rights, titles and priv
leges-particularly those concerning
the territory of Kiaochow, railways,
mines and submarine cables-whch
she acquired in virtue of the Treaty
concluded by her with China OIL
March E, 1893, and of all other ar
engagements relative to the province
of Shantung.
"All German rights in the Using
tao-T sinanfu Railway, including its
branch lines, together with it sub
sidiary property of all kinds, sta
-tions, shops, fixed and rolling stock,
mines. plant and material for the ex-
ploitation of the mines, are and re-
main acquired by Japan, together
with all rights and privileges attach
ing thereto.
"The German State submarine
cables from Tsingtao to Shanghai
and from Tsingtao to Chefoo, with
all the rights. privileges and proper
ties attaching thereto, are similarly
acquired by Japan, free and clear of
all charges and encumbrances."
China has lost nothing. Germany
is the loser, and only loser. The loss
to China occurred in 1898, over TWEEN
~ years ago. Japan gets nothing
from China. but she does get some-
thing from Germany. Whether or
not China made a bad bargain IN
1893. is not the issue now. The
question now is, shall these rights
remain with Germany, or shall they
60 elsewhere? Germany would be
glad to keep them, as she would her
other overseas possessions, but why
Americans should want to defeat this
Treaty and leave Germany in control
of these rights in the East is beyond
conception. Especially is this true OF
our Republican friends. Their great
interest in China is wholly inoppor-
tune. They had charge of things in
1893, and through John Hay fully
recognized the rights of Germany to
these concessions made to Germany
by China in the Treaty of 1898. Not
only SO, but all nations recognized
the German rights under its treaty
with China. Russia, England and
France acquired similar rights. This
Government (then in charge of our
Republican friendsD through Mr..
Hay, asked Germany what would be
her policy as to an open Door" to
the U. S. in the territory of her re-
cent concessions and being assured
by Won Bulow that the open Door
policy as advocated by the U. S.
would be observed. this Government
<under Republican rule) put its stamp
of approval upon what our Republi-
can friends now denominate THE
Rape of China" OF all citizens, Our
Republican friends should be the last
to protest. They approved the al
legged crime against China in 1898,
and should keep their tongues now.
But this is not all. In 1914 the
Allies recognized that German base
in China was dangerous to their
cause. Prompt action was required,
and japan did the work which put
that German base out of existence.
This was before we were in the war.
In 1915, by treaty with Japan, China.
agreed in advance that Japan might
get from Germany such rights as had
been given her in 1893. The present
Treaty of Peace gives to Japan just
what China in 1915 consented that
she might have. just why we
should be weeping over what China
gave her full and free consent to is
mot clear to US. Shall we assume
the German role and announce that
treaties are but scraps of paper:
Shall We now say that the treaty be-
tween Germany and China in 1858
shall be ignored. when China in 1915
agreed with japan that she might
take such terms a. she could with
Germany n 70 these concessions.
Or Republican friends are at least
eatQpp<d to open their mouths.
! China has lost nothing by this
treaty. All her rights were fore
sc1ooed by her own action long before
de u S. joined in the war. Good
&a1th % to previous treaties demand
"a the recognition of Japan's treaty
7fehts. Japan had the full consent
I,ther theA allies in the treaty Of
~ = A. III