The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1919-09-11
MR.. LANSING WAS WRONG

Secretary Lansing and the President flat
" contradict each other Mr.. Lansing,
being questioned by Senator Johnson
said without hesitation that the sigma
ture of Japan to the League OF Nations
would have been obtained even IL the de-
mands of Japan with reference to Shan
tung had not been granted.
The President, on the other hand, SAID
with equal positiveness that without
granting the japanese demands concern
ing Shantung, Japan would not nave
signed. The questions and answers Oh
the Lansing examination were read TO
President Wilson as follows:
Senator Johnson--Would the japanese
signature to the League of Nations have
been obtained if you had not made the
Shantung agreement?
Secretary lansing think so.
Senator Johnson--You do?
Secretary lansing think so.
Senator Johnson-So that even though
Shantung had not been delivered to Japan
the League of Natinos would not have
been injured?
Secretary lansing do not think SO.
Senator Johnson-And you would have
had the same signatories that you have
now?
Secretary Lansing-Yes, one more
China
After reading this testimony Of Score"
tary Lansing's to the President, Senator
Brandeges asked:
Senator Brandegee-Now l wondered
whether Secretary Lansing was well IN
formed about this question?
nm inn c
different from his, sir.
Senator Brandegee-You could not
have got the signature of Japan If you
had not given Japan Shantung?
The President-That is my Judgment.
Senator Brandegee-You say you were
notified to that effect?
The President-Yes, sir.
Senator Swanson--As | understood,
you were notified that they had instruc-
tons not to sign unless this was included?
The President-Yes.
OF course Secretary Lansing is wrong;
primarily, because his statements are
flat contradiction of those of President
of the United States, and secondarily, be-
according to his own prior admis-
sions-the Secretary of States of the I'm
tied States was deliberately excluded
from all save quite unimportant deliber-
ations of the Peace Conference. The
President of the United States was the
sole, self appointed negotiator on the part
of this country. The President of the
United States shared no condolences with
other members of the Peace Commission,
all personally selected by him as merely
perfunctory associates. While not explic-
lily forbidding the intrusion of advice
from his associates and his multitidinous
experts, Mr.. Wilson paid no heed to any
body's opinions save his own.
All this was made so clear in Mr.. Ian
sings own testimony before the Senate
Foreign Affairs committee-so far, at
least as he personally was concerned
that we confess to some degree of sur
prise that he should have undertaken to
give even an opinion as to what went on
behind those tightly closed doors where
the open covenants were being openly ar
rived at
Naturally, the Presidents denial of the
Secretary's positive assertions is more or
less humiliating to Mr.. Lansing. Yet Mr.
Lansing must feel that he has only HIM
self to blame. He knew nothing about
what was going on at the Peace Confer
ance. He was not brought along to have
any such knowledge. He was not thera
as Secretary Of State of the United States