The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-02-11
APPREHENSION
IS CAUSED BY
ATTITUDE OF
JAP NATION
Developments Show Japan
Threatens War Against
China If Secret Treaties Are
Revealed at Congress.
DOCUMENTS STOLEN
(By Associated PressD

(By Associated PressD
WASHINGTON, Feb. 11-Japan's at
titude toward China in the peace con-
ference is causing grave apprehension
among the representatives of the 9TH
er associated powers. According to
official diplomatic information reach
ing here, Japan virtually mas threat
ened war if China makes public sec
ret treaties between the two countries
and fails to carry out an agreement
to make Japan the successor of Ger
many in rights, property and conces-
sions held by Germany at the out
break of the European war
China is relying on the peace con-
ference, where her delegates are said
to have made an excellent impress
sion, and is seeking support from the
United States and Great Britain.
Advices from the Orient through
diplomatic channels, the American
minister at Peking, seeking to reas-
sure the Chinese foreign minister with
statements Of the friendship of the
United States government, was told
frankly that the foreign minister did
not see how at this time the United
States and Great Britain could divert
their attention to the Orient when the
European situation demanded SO much
attention
Handled in Paris.
When the Chinese peace delegates
arrived in Paris, the information now
available discloses, they reported
that their copies of the secret treaties
were stolen from their baggage while
they were passing through Japan, and
consequently they were unable to car
ry out their purpose of making them
public at the conference.
Officials of the state department de-
clincd to make any formal comment
today on the situation. The impress
sion was given out that the whole
matter was being handled in Paris.
According to the report receiver
here the threats against China were
conveyed to the Chinese foreign min
lister by the Japanese minister in Pek-
ing in thinly yelled terms. The Japan
ese minister is said to have pointed
out that Japan had an army of more
than a million men idle at home, fully
equipped and with arms and muni-
tions enough to conduct a long war,
and to have pointed out that Japan
had more than a half million tons
of shipping with the intimation that
this would be ready on short notice
for active work. He also is said to
have referred pointedly to the large
sums of money owed to Japan by
China, and to the fact that China had
been unable to live up to her financial
agreements.
Japan Urges Ratification.
Upon arriving in Paris without the
copy of the treaty which they had
been instructed to use in seeking to
break Japan's grip, the Chinese dele
gates made verbal reports of the sub
stance of these treaties to some of the
peace delegates of the other countries.
This led the japanese authorities to
demand of China that she disavow
this action on the part of her dele
gates and that she keep secret the
treaties.
Some of the secret treaties had not
yet been ratified by the Chinese gov
ernment, although Japan has ratified
them and according to today's advices
the Japanese government is bringing
every pressure to bear on China to
ratify them before anything can be
done at Paris.
ne uosI Important VI Tue tIedtieS
as yet unratified by China is the
agreement of Sept. "a, 1918, which
grants Shantung to Japan and admits
Japan as the successor to Germany
rights, concessions and property in
the Shantung district. This includes
railways, mines and other valuable
and the rights to them for
a long term of years. According to
the Chinese claims, Japan already has
possession under treaties and agree
ments of two-fifths of the iron ore de-
posit of the entire Chinese republic
and is seeking possession of the other
three-fifths.
Although they so far have been able
to resist the Japan demand, the Chin
ese officials now say that the pressure
is becoming unbearable.