Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-10-15
Senator Lodge Says
Japan is Becoming
American Menace

building far eastern empire which
will become peril to America" and
threaten the safety OF the world, Sen
ator Lodge. Of Massachusetts,. repub-
lican leader, declared today in the sem
ate In urging adoption Of his amend
ments to the peace treaty under which
German rights in Shantung would be
returned to China instead of being
awarded'to Japan. tsg t.... Isl
Steadily and relentlessly Japan is
gaining control Of China, Senator
Lodge said. and he predicted that she
would use China's vast man power to
endanger the safety of both America
and Europe. ,...
1T Is impossible to see" said Sem
ator Lodge, "how any conscientious
American can consent to any act. or
treaty that win extend the power OF
such a nation as Japan over a country
like China, especially when the
United States deliberately drew China
into the war with at least an implied
If not an express promise to give as
sistance and protection at the peace
conference.
THE principal argument made by
those who sustained the delivery OF
control Of Shantung to Japan is that
Japan has promised at different times
to return to China Whatever prom
ises she has made were all marked by
one vital omission. In no instance do
find that Japan ever fixed a time
when she would actually return the
province to its rightful owners. To
determine what Japan Is likely to do,
It is necessary to consider what she
has done for twenty five years"
Japan was charged by Senator Lodge
with breaking innumera6le pledges re-
garding her course in China and
Korea: with violating the open door
policy, destroying foreign commerce in
Manchuria and Korea Her funda-
mental policy. he said, had been steady,
relentless struggles to get ultimate
control OF the vast population and
great territory Of China.
AS 1t has, been in the past, so It
will be in the future In regard to Shan
tung." he continued. Japan is stepped
in German ideas and regards war rs
an industry. She means to exploit
China and build herself up until, she
becomes a power formidable to all the
world. She will use ultimately the
practically unlimited man power of
China for military purposes just as
Germany and Austria used. In their
armies the man power Of the $4,000
900 Slavs. who were utterly opposed to
German domination, to promote their
scheme Of conquest. Japan will be
enabled to construct in that way a
power which viii threaten the safety
OF the world. She is already advanc-
ing in siberia and with her control
there and China developed as she
means to develop it she will threaten
Europe. -.
But the country that she would
menace most would be our own, and
unless we carefully maintain q very
superior navy in the Pacific the day
take the place of France in another
great war to preserve civilization.
But there is one other reason even
more decisive to my mind than this. II
Is a great wrong. this giving of Shan
tung over to the control of Japan.
Morally, it is indefensible, and it is
no answer to say that we failed to pS-
fject TO The German seizure Of Shan
tung AS matter Of fact, the open
door policy of Mr.. Hay was the reply
to the German movement and for the
time arrested IT"
Emphasizing that the principal argu-
ment in defense Of the Shantupg award
was that China would lose nothing, as
Japan merely secured rights formerly
held by Germany. Senator Lodge said i:
People shut their eyes to the moral
issue and the methods employed by
Japan to get this claim, and do not
realize it's economic and political SIG
nificance-
an an effort TO get control of China
Japan has almost forced loans on her,
Mr.. Lodge declared.
ut is the deliberate opinion OF both
foreign and other observers" ne said,
that threats and bribery were delib-
erately used. The purpose clearly was
to tie up in Japanese hands the best
of the resources OF China at time
when other nations were so occupied
that they could not interfere. Unless
some change Is made in these records,
China will be seen to be largely mort
gagged to the Japanese IN such way
and to such an extent that the already
acquired rights of other nations will
be seriously infringed.'
In conclusion the republican leader
urged adoption of the amendment
transferring to China the rights in
Shant,,rv piven to Tapan nv tho treaty.
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