The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-10-11
NORRISATTACKS
WILSON SPEECH
ON JAPAN GRAB
Nebraska Senator Accuses
President of Inaccuracy in
Shantung Defence.
NEVER HAS RETRACTED 1T
Secret Treaty Made Just Prior
to Our Entry Into the
War, He Shows.
Special Despatch to THE sun.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 10.-Senator Nor
rIs (Neb.) directly accused President
wilson Of gross mlsstatement of facts
in a public speech to-day regarding
the treaty of peace and asserted that
when the President was notified that
he had been guilty of this he privately
admitted it but never publicly re-
tracted a word of the misstatement.
Mr.. Norris developed this incident in
a speech on the Shantung settlement
contained in the peace treaty
In his speech in st Louis the Presi-
dent. talking of Shantung, said that
the Allies promised Shantung to Japan
in order to get Japan to enter the war
on their side The statement was fiat,
unqualified and made as justification
Of the agreement by Great Britain,
France, Italy and Russia, that Shan
tung should go to Japan
When that statement was given to
the country through the press Senator
Norris at once recognized 1t as I'M
true he said, because the agreements
with these Powers in regard to Shan
tung were not made until 1917, while
Japan entered the war in 1914.
In beginning his speech on behalf of
the Shantung amendment Senator Nor
ris said the adoption of the amendment
would give to China what belongs to
China and would relieve the treaty of
one of its most Objectionable features"
He devoted much attention to the state
ment made by President Wilson in his
nd "a. e+a 70
ment was entirely untrue, as Japan de-
clared war against Germany on August
%. 1914, a very short time after the
war began, and at that time no agree
ments OF any kind had been made by
Japan with any of the other Govern
ments.
President Admits Error.
Senator Norris called attention to the
fact that after this statement was made
by the President he (Mr. Norris) sent
telegram to the President relating
the facts and suggesting that the Presi-
ient make d public correction.
The President up to the present
time" he saiu, has made no public
statement, although he did send me the
following telegram:
GARRISON, Mon, Sept. ~ thank
YOU for correcting an unintentional in
accuracy in one of my recent speeches.
WOODROW WILSON
Il waited until the Presidents trip
was completed before 1 made public his
telegram in which he had admitted his
statement was what he calls an 'unifl-
;entional naccuracy.' The President has
never publicly admitted that his state
ment was untrue. 1t seems TO me II
ha pragiIapt al 20 ha 70; ,,gtl
he American people, with the Senate
and with the world, he would at least
have been careful to give as great pub
lefty to the correction as he did to
he original mlsstatement-
The secret agreement with Japan
vas made September II, 1917. There
never was any negotiation on the part
ot Japan and the other parties to the
secret agreement until FEBRUARY, 1917.
The war had been going on since August,
1914, and Japan had been in II prac-
ucally all that time. The President said
the secret agreement was for the pur-
pose OF getting Japan to clear the
Pacific Of the German fleet Yet at tn,
Tine that agreement was made there
was no German ships of any kind in
the Pacific except those informed. That
ocean was as free of German ships of
al kinds at the time that agreement was
made as is the Potomac River"
How the Deal Was Made
Mr.. Norris reviewed the history of
The negotiations with Japan for the de-
livery Of Shantung. He read the note
sent by the British Ambassador at
Toxic on February 26, 1917, to Viscount
lshii, Japan's Minister for Foreign AZ
iairs, transmitting a message from the
British Government. In this it was
stated that Britain 'accedes with pleas
ure to Japan's request that they will
support Japan's claim for the German
possessions in Shantung and of the Ger
man islands north Of the Equator, 1t
being understood that in return the
Japanese Government will support in the
same spirit the British Government e