The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-08-05
WATSON OPPOSES
PEACE BECAUSE
OF JAP GRANTS

VI Jill QtH1IIO
WASHINGTON, Aug. 6-DecIaring
the history Of German and Japanese
acquisitions In Shantung had been one
wrong heaped on another, Senator
Watson, Republican, Indiana, asked the
senat today to reject that provision
Of the Versailles treaty which gives the
Japanese control in S~hantung PENN
sula.
The original shantung rights. SEN
Rtor Watson said. were taken from Chi
ma by Germany in 1898 through a de-
mand enforced by a fleet Of battleships,
and had been expanded TO embrace
complete economic possession Of shan
tung" through supplemental treaties In
1899, 1900 and 1905. These ex panded
rights, he said, had been taken from
Ge(0any In the present wal by Japan,
wh6 had sought to reinforce her posi-
ton nv a treaty obtained by force"
from China in 1915 and by secret agree
ments established on fraud eonsum-
mated with the allies In 1917.
Can II be said that faint no longer
vitiates titles asked the Indiana sem
stor. docs wrong ever become right2
Can duress piled upon duress, car
force added 10 force. make unrighteous-
ness holy? Can the German wrong In
China, plus the Japanese wrong IN Chi
nAs Plus the Japanese WfunE WITH llt
allies ever come to the full fruition
Of a perfect right?
I'VE went to war, in part, to undo
the wrong wrought by Germany, and
surely here is one that enlists the sym
pathy and challenges the attention OF
our country, aye, and OF civilization,
for it Reks TO perpetuate one of the
most fragrant wrongs ever committed
by the agents Gg)the kaiser upon a help
less and upoffending people,
Is in Control.
Replying to declarations that the
German concessions seized by japan
concerned only n narrow strip Of ter
ritory, Senator Watson said that never
theless Japan had sent a military force
entirely through the province of Shan
tung,'' had established railroads, mines
and garrisons everywhere, and now was
\ in complete military and economic poC
session" OF the whole province with its
population Of SO, 900, 900 Chinese.
1.-THE president recently has stated
he continued, that Japan intends to
return %Shantung to China, III that be
true, why Is It not so written In the
contract? Japan waged two wars with
the announced purpose Of insuring the
independence Of Korea. And yet, hpv-
ing won In both wars, she very speed
III annexed Korea and In 1910 made
her q part of the Japanese empire.
one Of Japan's alleged reasons for wag-
NV WAT Will iuNNAh var llhN Nv "aiA
ed to save M%anchuria for China, but
Manchuria Is to all intents II pur-
poses a Japanese colony.
1.-THE whole story OF the treatment
Of China by Japan furnishes ample
illustration OF the fact that japan in
tends to cling TO Shantung and that
her protestations Of good faith are not
to be believed. Why was so monstrous
a wrong thus recognizedR Simply be-
cause It had 10 be done to save the
league.
president Wilson wanted the league,
II was the sole object of his going to
France, and for Il he was and is willing
to make great sacrifices OF either for
eiEn rights or American independence.
Japan, seeing his attitude. took advan-
tage Of him and forced him to indorse
this wrong to China by the threat that
IL ii were not done she would withdraw
from the conference and would decline
to ratify the league, And he yielded
and is now endeavoring to have our ma
ton ratify this treaty and condone this
wrong. Japan coerceO him into that
concession, That country sold her sig
nature for the liberties OF 5000, 900 hui
man beings, and Wilson, Lloyd George
and Clemenceau approved the bargain
and ratified the sale.
Calls 1t Spoliation.
'eThe most remarkable, the most in
0efensible feature OF this entire transac'
tion Ia that, as q result OF war said Y
have been waged 10 make the world SAT-
for democracy, we enforce the spolia'
tion Of the only republic in the Orient
we ratify the previous robbery OF 9
friendly people by tho nation we wen
to war to overthrow for Just such acts
amd we turn the result OF the larceny
over to the most autooratlc government
that now exists on earth, the counter
fart OF Germany In the east,
sand II can never be forgotten tina
every patton whose representatives sat
around TO table at the peace confer
enee and sanctioned this Oriental crime
every one Of them-had 2 treaty witt
China to protect the territorial integ'
rity of her empire,
II believe thai the secret TREATY mad
by Japan with the allies In 1917 shoult
not be c-ountenanced by them or b.
us at this time, because It rests o.
was a fraud on China, because by TIL
terms OF that understanding Japan go
China into the And this secre
treaty was as well a fraud on our GOV
when by the Lansing Ishii agree
ment in 1917 the United States recog
nized that Japan has special interest
in China neither President Wilson
nor Secretary Lansing knew that lapal
had secret treaties with the allies b,
the terms of which she vas to hol
Shantung after the war.
1.-THE people Of China believed In tn
United States. We have been her on
great and only friend, The presiden
willingly throws aside the work OF Bur
lingame, casts the efforts of Hay upo
the scrap heap, and not only consent
to the robbing OF China by Japana, bu
seeks to force us TO fight to sustal
the robbery and protect the rohbers
Ii cannot be denied that II the peopl
OF Shantpng revolt against the gallin
yoke OF Japan, and II China shall rs
to defend her own people, then by tn
provisions Of article 10 we shall be com
PEELED to send American soldiers to suh
due China.
1--WE send missionaries to China I
teach the principles Of the Christia
religion. And we do right, But II II
becomes us TO sanction an arrangemet
that will fasten upon them the rule (
4 nation that Is opposed to Christianit,
that has systematically persecute
Christian missionaries.
II do not believe that the treat
should be ratified unless and un
Japan either withdraws from China
states In unequivocal terms that 81
will withdraw, or, better still, fixes
definite date OF withdrawal; for ! b.
lfeve this 10 be as monstrous u propt
sition as has ever been proposed to civ
Ilization.'