New Britain herald., 1919-10-15
LODGE AND THE yAps,

INAToR LODGE AND THE JArs, 4Senator Lodge, In the Senate debate
 the League of Nations, rushed up 8e shantung Issue and hauled it into He H,nelight again yestercny,. making Re cry of Japanese domination ot 6lna and the peril to the United Mate2 and the world, and again ques- bning the sincerity of the Jap and his &omlce to return the city of Kiau- 8au to it's "righttul owners" tho 1nineae.
 4The Senator's main contention that
 pan is striving for control of other Mces in the Orient and that that con- Mol spells peril for the rest of the &brld, America in particular, Is, to our Hind, correct. We do not doubt but lat the willy Jap would like to gain Mere in a position to dominate the Mhinese race it would not hesitate to Mrow the com bined powers Of the
 rient against us. Possession of
 pantung may help in gaining this &cendancy in the east But why de-
 at the League of Nations because of a lis situation?
 z In the first splace. it may not be de- Bed that Japan has promised to tho
 eague that Shantung will be return Fl, not at any particular time 1t is
 ue, but has given her word, what Her it is worth. If we defeat the
 Hague what becomes of the promise?
 is no more, there can be nothing at
 III binding upon Japan to act as sine Nd promised worlds organization, &cause the organization, theoretical M will not exist. One may not make #onises to the air and be required to Sl them by government agencies Sup &sing that we have a League of Na-
 bns and Japan does not, within d
 oderate space of time, keep her
 onise. Then the entire organization, nina included, to which she gave her
 ord. is banded together to see that &c keeps it, isn't it? That IS Tar
 tier than leaving the United States # act alone.
 Japan has been given g chance to Mt with honor, or will have been &hen the League is an accom- pEsheo $ ct why question her sincerity De- Ere we have accepted her promlse Inv judge her guilty before she has Ben so proven? Is there any justice N this? If we object seriously to the Mcupation of Shantung by the Jap- ,ese the time to consider its return &fll be in the League of Nations coun- #l. not in the Senate chamber, unless Be are now prepared to go to war W1th Mpan and settle the question.
 # The moral obligations back of thls Mutation is obvious and the ShantunG Proposition is no question upon which 8 defeat it. Japan may not afford to #and the combined pressure of every Ation upon the globe once the nations #.e acting in assembly and we easily &rce the situation after the council is &orking We have Japans word, re-
 em Der, if we ratify.
 8 The pity of the Shantung case is Aat it was given to Germany in the N,st place. Ii we are not mistaken Xenator Lodge was in the Senate at R1e time of our recognition to Ger Aany's seizure of it. Why could not Nave the emergency that has just been 6 tiled been foreseen then? Why did &ot the Senate object on the grounds A1at Germany was looking forward to &n attempt to subdue the world, Hhich was a much more imminent Possibility than the Japanese con- Huest? We do not know, but we are Mlre that the Senator is mistaken in His attitude, that the proper solution &f this question is to let the League sght it out and not assume the re- zponsibilities ourselves.