The sun., 1919-09-17
'SHANTUNG ISSUE
CLOUD ON LEAGUE
Question OF Japan's Sincerity
Should Be Left Out, Writer
Asserts.
~ WALTER LEON HESS.

Vice-President and General Manager OF
the Gosho Cooperation.
The Shantung discussion which now
forms a basis for casting discredit upon
the integrity of the japanese Govern
ment brings thoughtful people face to
face with the anomaly of such a posi-
ton. Those in favor of the league are
arguing that the shantung question does
not affect the acceptabillty of those
clauses In the League of Nations pro-
gramme which cover just such incidents
as Shantung presents
1t would seem that neither those OPP
posed nor those In favor OF the League
Of Nations have any right to bring the
Shantung question forward as an effec-
tive argument. Those who oppose are
In the position of one who seeks to
accept a signatory to an agreement
while doubling the intent Of the sigma
tory to fulfill his obligation under such
an agreement The ardent supporters
of the League of Nations by discus
sing the pros and cons of Japanese in
teRrfty admit grounds for discussion as
soon as they attempt to support or
explain the attitude of Japan
Whether we accept the League of Ma
| tons as the programme now stands or
L not, IL IL nlkn lHIo tAlde VIC NaSSNSS
| it's value upon its own merits and not
upon the basis as to whether the sigma
cries are or are not Of equal sincerity.
| Japanese interests in the Orient are
at least worthy of consideration in the
| same measure as any other natlons IN
| terests are in the Occident. The inter-
ests of Japan in China are of equal
| value to the Japanese as are of value to
| itself the interests Of any other nation
4 tpta than QolVQS
| within the borders of the Chinese Repuo-
! lie should be paramount, and the ques-
| ton Of settling the basis upon which the
| League of Nations programme should be
| adopted should take into consideration
the interests of China In China above all
others.
An authoritative Japanese has stated
that Japan is agreeable to return the
| Government of Shantung to the Chinese
The statement frankly admits the vested
interest of Japanese capital in Shantung.
1t would seem to a DISTINGUISHED judge
that Japan in admitting Chinese capital
and Chinese control to the joint railway
management comedies to the Chinese an
ARRANGEMENT which was not either IN
tended or carried out under the so-caueo
similar arrangements" which the Ger
man Government made prior to expul-
| sion of German interests from Shantung,
To a layman this would seem an honest
declaration Of policy as regards financial
| interests AS to military occupation, the
Japanese have agreed to withdraw all
| military forces from the peninsula They
have agreed to allow the Chinese to
police the territory. They have agreed
| to employ Chinese on the railway.
| Is there not an attempt on the part
of certain propagandists to exclude
| japan from the development of China
while other nations are taking hand
| materially and morally to aid in such
development? Is there not an effort on
the part of propagandists, by casting
discredit without any justification IN
fact upon the integrity of the Japanese
to ask them to abide by certain cove
nants to which the Japanese are already
signatory (made by the great allied ma
tons brought together by the late war;
without giving the Japanese hearing
, or a voice in those matters in which they
| pre vitality interested? 1t Is impossible
| for the nations of the earth to sit a:
Judge and jury upon nation admitted
| in other respects to the councils OF thu
! Allies and to adjudge Japan guilty Of
offences for which there is no proc
whatever and nothing but the presump
| tive evidence furnished by those witt
have a natural animosity to Japan TO
c personal and material reasons Thu
8 war which has just been concluded wa
fought for justice to all. The attitud
of those who are endeavoring to hal
| Japan into court as traitor to its owl
i | honor would IL successful vitiate tn
4 fundamental principle and result TO
which the war was fought.
o To any one who knows the Japanes
= people it Is so obvious that honor is TIL
e cardinal principle Of their education an
n habit-habits which too few foreigner
n have taken the trouble to study-tha
, it ia ridiculous to impugn the motives o
a nation too little understood by thos
: outside the empire of Japan and to-
: readily accepted by unthinking peopl
q as being contrary to the accepted no
k ton of ethics and moral integrity tn
e world over.