Evening star., 1919-08-19
just as she has treated the Manchu-

Just as she has treated the Manchu-
.rian situation?
The President: I think 30. Yes.
Senator Pomerene: So that If the
treaty should fail Of ratification.
China, 50 far as Shantung IL concern
ed, would be practically at the mercy
of Japan, whereas IL the treaty is
ratified, then, at least, she will have
the benefit of the moral assistance of
all the other signatory powers to the
treaty to aid in the protection Of Chi
nese rights?
a The President: Senator, I conceive
one of the chief benefits of the whole
arrangement that centers in the
have indicated-that 1t brings to bear
the opinion Of the world and the con-
trolling action Of the world on all re-
1ationships OF that hazardous sort. IT.
involve the rights Of the weaker
nations. After all. the wars that
are likely to come are most like
1y to come by aggression against the
of nations they have no buttress or
protection. With 1t. they have the
united protection of the world. and
inasmuch as it is the universal opin-
ion that the great tragedy through
which we have just passed never
would have occurred If the central
powers had dreamed that a number of
nations would be combined against
fidence that this notice beforehand
that the strong nations of the world
will in every case be united will
make war Extremely unlikely.
Question of Public Record.
Senator Moses: Mr. President. are
these process verbal to be deposited
anywhere as a matter of public rec
ord?
The President: That had not been
decided. senator. OF course. IL they
were deposited as a matter of public
record there would be certain very
great disadvantages.
Senator Moses: Are they to be de-
posted with the secretariat of the
1e~ -ra ~ -.qrions?
The President: No. sir.
s-..aior moses: Without some such
depository, how otherwise would this
engagement of Japan, as embodied
in the process verbal, be brought for
ward for enforcement?
The President: There would be as
many copies of the process verbal as
there were members of the conference
in existence much longer than the time
within which we shall learn whether
Japan will fulfill her obligations or
not.
Senator Moses. You mean in the
private papers of the personnel of the
council of four?
The President: 1 would not call
them private. papers. 1 have a copy.
senator. / regard them as public
trust. not private papers, and can
assure you that they will not be de-
Senator Moses: Suppose that each
member of the council of four had
passed out of Office. out of any posi-
tion Of power. at a time when it be-
came evident that Japan was not
keeping the engagement as 1t was en-
bodied in the process verbal on the day
when this record was made. In what
manner would you expect that engage
ment to be brought forward for en-
forcement?
Could Be Made Accessible.
The President: / should deem it my
duty-I cannot speak for the others
be made accessible.
Senator Pomerene: Mr.. President,
there is another question or two on
should like to ask If / may.
Assuming for the sake of the argu-
ment that there would be some undue
delay on the part of japan in turn
jnR back to China her rights in Shan
tung, and that China were to make
complaint to the council provided for
In the league of nations. have you
any doubt but that it would be taken
up promptly by all the members of
that council for their consideration
and determination?
The President No, sir; have not.
Senator Pomerene: Another ques-
ton: On yesterday DR.. Millard was be-
fore the committee: and he made the
statement that there were twenty
regional undertakings similar to
the Monroe doctrine. / desire to say.
however. hat in answer to a -ques-
the President: Did he name any of
Unlike the Monroe Doctrine.
Senator Pomerene: I asked him
PLANTATION he qualified that statement
by saying that these were written
agreements somewhat akin to the
Lansing-Ishii agreement. SO called,
and as to those with relation to China
part OF them were as between Japan
and China, and as between Great Brit
ain and China. and he instanced the
secret agreement with Japan respect
ing, Shantung. What desired to ask
was this: Did any information come
10 the commission Indicating that there
were any regional understandings SIM
ilar to the Monroe doctrine?
The President: None whatever. The
only agreements that i can imagine
he was referring to are contained In
the exchanges of notes which oc-
CURED between the Japanese and
Chinese, governments in 1915 and
1913 with regard to the method and 4
conditions Of the return of Shantung
province to China
Senator Hitchcock: Mr.. President,
think il should be said also that later
on In his testimony, either in answer
to q question by Senator Pomerene or
perhaps in response to a question by
Senator Swanson. the witness. Dr.
Millard. stated that while he deemed
them regional understandings, those
that he had in mind. he said very en-
phatica1ly were totally unlike the
Monroe doctrine. and would not come
under that category.
Millard Definition Too Broad.
The President: And in this sense
every treaty that concerns territory
anywhere affects a region. and is a
regional understanding; but that is a
very broad and vague meaning to at
tach to the word.