The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1919-09-17
LEAGUE Of NATIONS
IS CH|NA'S HOPE
Senator McCumber Explains
Why He Voted Against
Amending Treaty.
HAS FAITH IN JAPAN'S WORD
Agrees With President Wilson
That China viii Get Square
Deal Under Treaty.

Washington, Aug. Ex-senator Nc
Cumber, Republican, of North Dakota,
in response to an inquiry as to his
reasons for voting in the senate COM
mittee on foreign relations against
the motion of Senator Lodge to strike
out Japan and substitute China in the
articles awarding Shantung to Japan,
In a statement which tonight he au-
thorized the Washington bureau of the
league to enforce peace to make pub
lie, said:
81 voted against what is known as
The Shantung Amendment because
under the covenant and treaty as it
stands, all the nations of the world in
joining it agree no longer to rob China
and for this and other reasons as good
| believe in the early ratification of
the instrument unchanged, because it
substitutes justice for war in settling
international wrongs of which China
has suffered many.
To Be Settled by Treaty.
First, Japan has not yet a title to
the territory. She holds it as a part
of the results of the war until it's dis
position is decided by this treaty.
Second, Japan has promised pub
licly in her treaty with China to sur
render the leasehold right over this
territory which Germany held under
it's treaty with China, not at some in
definite future time, not a thousand
years hence, but as Don as Japan has
acquired these rights under the pend
ing treaty.
Third, Japan renewed this promise
at Paris through it's mission and has
repeated the promise to the President
of the United States, who has every
reason to believe that Japan will
scrupulously keep her pledged word.
/ agree absolutely in this belief and
the faith of the President in the sin
certify of Japan.
League Is Final Resort.
Fourth, if Japan should fail to keep
the treaty with China, then under the
preamble of the league, which pro-
vides that all joining it shall main
tain "a ccrupulous respect for all
treaty obligations China car go be-
fore the council of the league and all
the nations of the world will unite to
force Japan to surrender the terri
tory in question to China.
Fifth, if this treaty be amended as
proposed in the matter of Shantung,
Japan is deprived of the privilege Of
giving to China, as the fruits of her
victory, the victorious possession of
the rights held by Germany. BY this
course a proud and h~igh-spirited peo-
pie would be affronted and in the pub
lie opinion of Japan opposition would
be aroused to this act of justice by
the manner i'm which it is proposed to
force Japan to act after its spon-
taneous promise to do right.
Would Require Force.
Then would arise a most serious
situation. Japan would refuse to
complete her membership in the
league of nations by refusing to ratify
the treaty signed by her commission
ers at Versailles and would deal with
China as one nation with another. In
this event, Japan would inevitably i'm
pose more severe conditions which
China would be powerless to resist.
The only curse then open would be
to use force against Japan and Japan
would meet force with force.
Nor does it lie with those who OBJ
iect to our interference in European
affairs to propose that we should go
to wal to right differences between the
yellow races.
What Japan Asks.
"All Japan asks in Shantung is a
small piece of ground for residences
for her nationals where they can live
under their own government and the
control of their own nation, a right
already enjoyed by the nationals OF
other powers"
In answer to a question as to the
economic interests" retained by ia,
pan, once held by Germany in Shan.
tung relating to railroads and mines
Senator McCumber pointed Il that
under the league, for the first time in
a long series of similar attempts al
economic spoilation of the Chinese
people, China could appeal for protec'
ton against any wrongs under the
eleventh article of the covenant. This
article confers the right of each mem
Der of the league to bring to the at
tention of the assembly or to the coun
Gil any circumstance whatever affect
ing international relations which
threatens to disturb international
peace for the good understanding be