New-York tribune., 1919-07-18
Land Given Japan Did Not
Belong to Germany, as
Treaty Was Abrogated
by the War Declaration
Denied Hearing at Paris
Son of WI Ting-fang and
Descendant of Confucius
Speaks at Luncheon Here

The Chinese side Of the Shantung
dispute was presented yesterday by c.
c. WI, son of the former Chinese Min
lister to Washington, DR.. WI Ting fang,
at luncheon at the Lawyers Club, at
which Mr.. WI was the guest of the
China Society of America. He was
seconded by T. H. Hsu, president of
the Shantung Assembly and special
| delegate to the peace conference from
that province, and by DR.. F. II. Kung,
another representative of Shantung,
who is descendant of Confucius in
the seventy fifth generation.
They declared that the peace con-
ference had given to Japan in Shan
tung not German territory but Chinese
territory, the Chinese German treaty
by which Germany secured rights there
having been abrogated when China de-
clared war against Germany in 1917
They declared that while Japan said it
did not want all of Shantung it want
ed that part which would give it con-
troll of the entire province. They de-
clared that this meant not peace but
war, and DR.. Kung ended the addresse
with a quotation from his revered an
cestor:
"A state may exist without revenue
and without armies, but it cannot exist
| without good faith"
WI Reviews Situation
Mr.. WI, whose address was the back
| bone of the argument, summarized
! the events leading up to Japan's de-
| mand for Shantung, relating the cir
umstances under which Germany OBJ
tanned its lease "at the point Of the
bayonet" and saying that in 1914 China
offered to join the Allies and take
Kiao-c -chau. The offer was refused
i he said, and Japan, with British help
| took the place.
"At the beginning Of 1919," he said
"a commission was sent to Paris to
ask that the German rights in Shan
tung be given to China. The principal
reasons were legal and moral. In the
first place, to go back a little, you
Americans were responsible for in.
ducing us first to break off relations
with Germany, and secondly in the
declaration Of war
"The American government sent ,
circular note to all neutrals in orde,
to show the worldwide moral disap
provai Of the German actions. China
was the first to respond to the not.
and the first Q the neutral powers tt
take steps to follow the United State,
in rupturing relations with German,
and finally declaring war against tn,
Germans.
War Abrogated the Treaty
THE Chinese declaration of war. i,
accordance with the established prin
clples of international law abrorate
all treaties existing between China an
Germany. To go no further afield
your American government took JUS
the same steps. This ended all politi
cal and economic agreements. This il
very important to the Chinese case.
II may say this declaration was dull,
notified not only to Germany, but t
Iall the Allies and associated powers
including the United States and Japan
China received warm replies congratu
lating her and acknowledging the &C
ton taken. Therefore it is not to
much to say that in consequence al
recognized the abrogation of tn
treaties with Germany.
Now this has an important relation
to the Paris Conference. Because O
the abrogation, therefore the Fight
granted to Germany become null an
void; as China was the grantor an
Germany the grantee, the veste
rights returned to China in 1917.
Would Control Shantung
II have heard it said that Japa
does not want all Of Shantung, onl
some IUO square miles. IhlS sound
we'll to the ear, as the settlement i
supposed to return all the politica
rights, Japan keeping only the eco
nomic ones. We must remember thi
in the Far East: the political right
follow economic privileges"
Mr.. Hsu related how he had beel
sent to Paris to protest against tn
gift of Shantung to Japan, "a PROVING
which is larger than Massachusetts
Come ecticut, New York and New Jerse
combined with q population of abou
40,O00,00O." The "big men" of the con
ference were hard to approach, NJ,
Hsu said, and the representatives 0
100000 900 people could not see them"
"We feel that the Shantung settle
ment," he said. "was a bribe to Japal
to join the league of nations, in orde
that permanent peace might be estab
lished in the world China is willin
to sacrifice her interests for peace. bu
this makes peace impossible. This l
sowing the seeds of another war"
! Ebert H. Gary welcomed the guest