The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-20
WILSON'S CHIEF
THORN Is JAPAN
She Will Insist ON Racial
Equality Clause Being in
Covenant.
WOULD REJECT TREATY
Refusal to Sign and With
drawal of Her Delegation
Threatened.
WOULD REJECT TREATY
By Sta1 Correspondent Of The Sun.
Copyright, 1919: all rights reserped.

CopWt0ht, 1sls; all rights reserved.
PARIS, March 19.--Japan suddenly
has doomed up as the most threaten
ing cloud on President Wilson's hori-
zon. She will insist upon a clear and
unequivocal claure in the covenant of
the League Of Nations, and II she fails
to obtain It her delegates will refuse
to sign any treaty containing the
league covenant.
Careful investigation in responsible
Japanese mission circles here by THE
Sun discloses:
First-The issue Of a speech un-
doubtedly made on, direct inspirae
ton from the Toxic Government
and intended to serve notice on the
President. as the chief author of
the covenant. that Japan win insist
upon such a clause
Second-The Japanese delegation
here has received word from Toxic
in the last few days, since the text
OF the covenant was published there,
that 1t will be unsafe for them to
return home II they give adherence
to any covenant not containing this
clause.
Chief Reasons Given.
Third-The racial equality clause
insisted upon chiefly because Of the
attitude Of the United States and
Australia, which is considered de-
meaning to Japan; by America be-
cause the Japanese are not treated
on an equality basis on the western
coast: by Australia because she
forbids all japanese immigration.
Whatever viscount Ishii may have
said in America there is no doubt. as
the inquiry in Japanese circles here
shows. as to what he meant: namely
that Japan would not sign the treaty
Unless It contained such clause. The
irtimation conveyed yesterday in Amer
lean circles that Viscount Ishii did not
serve an ultimatum and any way did not
represent the view OF Japanese here was
apparently entirely unwarranted. The
question has become acute through the
publication in Japan OF the text OF the
covenant.
There is no question thai the Liberal
party now in power in Japan would be
overthrown instantly IL the delegation
here signed a treaty without such
clause The japanese newspapers up to
this time have been contending stoutly
for the principles of the league and fol-
all the Wilson principles, but the publi'
cation of the covenant without the racial
clause has aroused furor. The press
Is now complaining that the Japanese
delegation Is weak and 1t should have
pressed the point more vigorously in the
committee meetings.
Japs Compared 10 Negro.
The racial equality principle, it IL
contended In Japanese circles here, IL
vital to Japan. and without an aftirma-
ton OF this principle the whole object OF
the league would be destroyed. A promi-
nent Japanese made the point to the cor
respondent of THE SUN that the United
States gives greater rights to the negro
than TO the Japanese, and Australia Is
worse What becomes of the universal
brotherhood that the league is supposed
to establish" he asks.
The Japanese pretend, naturally. that
the immigration question Is not involved
directly In this question, but Japan. ir
the opinion of many here, plainly Ii
sltion in this diplomatic controversy
and It is conceded that she would sue
ceed in this should the league affirm
this principle of racial equality.
The question then would be how
could any signatory treat its own ma
tionals differently from those of any
other country? Great Britain is con
cerned as much as America because no
only are her dominions opposed to such
action but It would bring UP tho ques
tion also in india.
AustraIiH's Attitude.
/ Australia will "see the League OF Ma
tlons go bust" before consenting to the
establishment OF the principle OF tht
+ equality of races whicn would opeI
I Australia 10 the flood of Japanese immi
| grafton.
! I'VE won't devlate an inch from oul
/ Continued on Second Page.
' &C., CoI Ed Es~.k