New-York tribune., 1919-07-16

country out Of entangling alliances,
and am IN favor OF league. Of ma
tions such as I have outlined, because
believe it will keep US out Of entan-
Cling alliances. We are in entangling
alliances now. Under the old system
we have been unable to avoid them,
and 1t is sufficient answer to this
criticism 1t seems to me that our army
is at this very moment, standing guard
along the Rhine
81 would be willing to resolve every
doubt Of the approval of any treaty
providing for league; but we have
before US a treaty containing not only
provision for league of nations, but
remarking Of many of the interna-
tional lines of the world. And we are
asked to accept it in it's entirety, with
out change or modification. 1t trans
fers from one nationality to another,
hundreds of thousands of people. 1t
remaps the entire world. 1t contains
many things outside Of the provisions
Of the league itself, that shock the SEN
sibilities of justice and right. Among
these, standing out prominently, is
the transfer of great portion of tho
Chinese Empire to Japan.
Criticised Paris Council
GAS indefensible as is the judgment
rendered at the peace council, in trans
ferring Chinese property and sover-
eighty to Japan, the procedure by which
this unjust judgment was brought about
IS still more reprehensible and indie
fensibe. 1t is difficult for a fair and
reasonable mind to comprehend how
these great powers could treat an
Allied nation with such unmerciful
cruelty and lack Of justice.
"When IT, hecame annarent that th n
United States was about enter the
war, it was feared that China would
follow her. In fact, there is but lit
tie doubt but that China would have
gone into the war long before she did
had it not been for the influence Of
Japan in keeping her out. England
France, Russia and Italy all wanted
China to get in, and, while the matter
is shrouded somewhat in mystery,
there can be but~little doubt to the
unprejudiced mind that it was Japan
working through her allies that pre-
vented China from declaring war
against Germany. Her object in this
was obvious.
"If China Joined in the fight against
Germany she would have a right to
appear at the peace conference and
to have her wishes and her rights
taken into consideration in agreeing
upon the terms Of peace. Obviously
Japan preferred that China should
have no place at the peace table, but
Great Britain and France were anxious
to have China join the Allies in order
to get the German ships that were
interned in Chinese waters.
China Gave Needed Ships
Everybody knows that the question
Of transportation was one Of the vital
things of the war. The destruction
of ships by submarines had made it
necessary for every Allied nation to
bend every energy in the building of
ships in order to replace those that
were lost. 1t was the one thing that
cause for fear that Germany might
win, and therefore the question Of
securing. these German ships was ex-
ceedingy important and valuable.
IAN unbiased mind might even ques-
ton whether Japan was acting in good
faith in thus interfering with the acquir-
ing of ships that might spell the diff
ference between victory and defeat. 1t
seems almost incredible that at this
critical stage any Allied nation anxious
for the Allied cause to win, should take
any steps, especially Of selfish nat
ure, to prevent the acquiring of addi-
tiOIdi SHIPS, DuL WucIl ~ UcCdHlc dppdE-
ent that America was going into the
w@r, Japan realizing that this would
probably also bring China in, she sys-
dramatically took UP the question with
the great powers
. "She entered into a secret agreement
with her then allies-England, France,
Italy and Russia-which provided that
after China had become a beligerent
and had given her blood and treasure to
bring victory, when these Allied powers
met around the council table, they would
divide the spoils Of victory among them
selves and rob China of her birthright
by turning her over to the tender
mercies Of Japan.
"On the 9th day Of March, 1919, the
Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs at
Toxic approached the British Ambassa-
dor at that place with view Of bring
ing about an agreement with the Brit
ish government. The British Ambassa-
dor cabled to his government at Lon
don, and after receiving instructions
from Mis- government wrote the Japa-
nese government as follows:
British Embassy, Toxic, February
16, 1917.
"'My dear Excellency:
"'With reference to the subject OF
| our conversation Of the 9th u1tirn r