Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-07-26

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New England. exclusive Of Vermont.
japan herself says with f,ne humor
that her motives are not wholly I'M
selfish. She wishes to safeguard
China and herself from close proxim-
ity and possible invasion by other
powers. She points to the late es-
Enlistment Of Germany in the East
and does not wish it to happen in the
case of any other nation. She feels
that it is far better for her to swal-
low China than for China to have
any voice In the matter Of develop
ing friendly relations with nations
by herself Baron Maxine. chief
Japanese delegate to the peace con-
ference, in a statement issued to the
/ press correspondents at Paris des-
cribed the German occupation as fol-
lows:
BY degrees the Germans became more
| and more the masters of the province OF
Shantung. with its thirty millions Of
possibilities. ''* 1t would not be an
exaggeration to say that Germany acted
| as master in that province. spending
money freely and blocking the efforts Of
| all others to secure a share in the
WELD she expected to produce as her
| development proceeded, aiming always
| at weakening the influence OF other ma
| tons in the Far East.
If the provisions Of the peace
treaty are fully carried out as set
forth in articles 1856. Z and Of part
Nv, this picture of Germany painted
by Baron Maxine will be a fairly
good likeness of Japan. BY the
above articles Germany renounces in
favor of Japan all her rights. title
and privileges concerning the terri
tory of Kiao- chau, railways, mines
and submarine cables and all other
arrangements relative to the prov
ince of Shantung. All movable and
immovable property owned by Ger
many in the territory of Kiao- chau
are and remain acquired by japan
free and clear Of all charges and in
cumbrances. together with. all docu-
ments. deeds, archives, ETC., which are
to be handed over to Japan within a
specified time. In other words Japan
reaps the benefit from the part she
played in the war at the expense not
only of Germany but Of China. Jap
an assumes in full the undertakings
of Germany. gets the benefit Of the
improvements made by Germany in
the port of Using Tao, and the lease
of the land until 1898, all free as a
gift from the peace conference.
If China is too weak to maintain
. herself why should she be put under
the control Of Japan outright? For
control of the railways, mines and
is not to be returned to her as a re-
ward for her participation in the
war, and because it belongs to her, to
make it a mandatory under the
League Of Nations would be less
dangerous and not more insulting.
She is not in the class with the Car
oline Islands and Togoland, but is a
self governing nation capable of
making decisions. The other Ger
man colonies have Jared better all
around than this province of China
because they were not parts of any
other nation torn away by German
aggression in the first place. They
were orphans which had to be taken
by somebody and their distribution is
fairly logical. Kiao-chau is an integral
part Of the original territory Of
China and the gift of it to Japan is
thus doubly wrong.
What are we going to do about It?
We can at least withhold our sane
ton of such outrageous dealing
among nations by making a definite
reservation on the parts of the
peace treaty that touch Shantung.
In these circumstances We shall not
be hindering the operation of the
treaty. neither shall we be a party to
the betrayal Of the great eastern ma
ton which has been so fleeced by her
neighbor.
The partial closing of the open
door" policy Of Roosevelt and Hay
which this japanese guardianship of
China means is a direct step back
wards. 1t means the delay, if not
the actual end. of China's develop
ment out Of the darkness of ages
toward the life of the western world.
1t means constant racial friction be-
tween the two peoples, never on very
good terms. It means the extension
OF Japanese policies, avowedly i'm
perialistic and benevolently despotic.
over the whole Of Asia. 1t means a
tremendous proposition in cheap
labor and manufactures to be met by
the rest of the commercial world. for
with the vast resources of minerals
and lands at her disposal in China.
Japan can undersell all the world
twice over. But most Of all it means
great moral wrong perpetrated -,