The sun., 1919-08-12
ADMITS
|IAPANESEKEPT
TREATY SECRET
Never Heard Of Far Eastern
Pact Until After Armistice
Was Signed.
|gPPLIES INFORMATION
secretary Says His Agreement
with Ishii Is Without
Binding Effect.
IMPLIES INFORMATION

WARRINGTON, Aug. ll'-Secretaiy oA
..,. Lansing appeared TO greater ad-
-,tase at his second visit to the For
Il ~ relations Committee OF the Senate
..aov than he did previously. In con-
..a,.,Inction TO the extended series OF
!, A not know and 81 cannot recall"
..cb characterized his first days testi-
..uv. the Secretary was able to fur
Ia the committee with much vital In
srmation.
The most striking feature OF his testi-
,0py was the admission that the Shan
M agreement had been based on
r.atIes of a secret character OF which
AZ American Government had not been
..nrised until the future signatories of
ss peace treaty were gathered around
4, conference table last February.
In other words America had fought
,.r nRht in the world war, made her
nn,rIbution in blood and treasure and
rs,erials without ever having been In
med until three months after the
,,mIstlce was signed that some Of her
..socIates In the war had held secret
srued agreements with regard to the
sIsposition Of the territorial rights and
r,srrity of another of the Powers en-
r,ssd in the demolition of German mill
tarism
Mr.. Lansing told the committee that
vSen Arthur ]. Balfour, Secretary OF
S,ate Of the British Empire, and former
prenier viviani of the French Republic
yated the United States in the late
uring of 1917, presumably to place the
American Government en- rapport with
every condition existing among the new
I ,1es. the agreements with Japan never
we're mentioned.
The examination of the Secretary was
marked by an exhaustive discussion OF
+ ,ss possibilities arising out of the re1ec-
ton Of the pending treaty or protracted
| j,ay in its ratification In regard to COM
ugce between the United States and
Germany. He held that the non-exist-
snce of the treaty was bar to the re-
symptom Of anything approaching nor
nal trade relations. but to this several
Senator's took very definite exceptions
and II was shown to the general salts
faction Of the committee that the ebb
and flow Of commerce might be restored
even If tine treaty had to walt. The
power II was suggested certainly re-
NAMED with the executive branch of the
Government to take down all unneces-
ury defensive barriers and the consti-
tutional or statutory laws would not be
violated by removing all the war time
bans
An interesting and Illuminating discus
hon OF the Monroe Doctrine was precipi-
ta,ed by the Secretary's statement that
. vscount Ishii had striven to-.use that
| International principle as a parallel for
The proposals OF imperial Japan In re-
rard to activities in China.
Lansing's Memory Refreshed.
| Secretary Lansing plunged into the
Santung question the moment the hear
hg began.
Il was asked twice during the hear
4 Ing Of last Wednesday," said he, ''in re
I htlon to my knowledge as to the secret
treaties, secret agreements. which ex-
sted among Japan and Great Britain.
France and Italy, and. I believe, Rus
rA In order to refresh the memory OF
members Of the committee would like
to read Just brief portion of the hear
j hg"
Mr. Lansing then read from the
printed record Of his first testimony TIE
questions OF Senators Borah (Idaho)
and Johnson (Cal.) and his own answers
covering the questions of these secret
agreements. Then he said:
Gentlemen. in connection with those
Inquiries and the apparent implication
that ] must have knowledge or should
nave had Of those agreements prior &C
The Lansng-Ishii agreement, 1 ran now
rate that my first knowledge of the
actual agreement came the first part 1l
February OF 1919. Under date of Feb.
rusry rs, 1919, they were transmitted &c
he Department of State by the Ame, =
can peace commission and the Depart
rent has no record or any knowledge
o. the treaties prior to that time.
On April 20. 1919. alleged copies Of
ne agreements between Japan ant
Great Britain and Japan and Franc
we're published by the New York TINE,
under Paris date line. 1 have inquired
Of the Russian division and I have alsS
Inquired Of D. C. Poole, consular offic3'
oI the Department of State. who has jus
returned from Russia and who was II
MOSCOW up to the time that II was saf,
tor Americans to remain there. ana tn
russian Division and Mr.. Poole both as
sure me that these treaties never wer,
published in any form in Russia.
In regard to the statement that
NEW Of the British agreement before W,
vent to Paris, let me say"
Here Senator Johnson interrupted
Just what British agreement do yol
teier to, II you please?"
Between Japan and Great Britain
And in your statement of the othe
ueaties that you have Just referred (,
you referred TO these with Japan"
Yea said Mr.. Lansing. "As ia m,
knowledge at the time of the Lansing
,shil agreement which was negotiated II
september and October. 1917. did know
mat Great Britain and France had a
east an understanding as to the dispo
',uon OF the German islands in the Pa
,le, Sir Cecil Spring Rice. then tn
nNush Ambassador, had informed me Il
Vc'ober. 1916, six months before we en-
.red the war. that Japan was to TAX
cae Islands north OF the Equator an,
treat Britain those that were south o
u Furthermore. at my first interview Il
connection with our negotiations Wis
.ount lshli on September 8, 1917, told m
Sat IN 1915. on his way home to Japar
We re stopped in London, that he saw 81
award Grey there and stated to hiT
aSt Japan intended to return KIaocha
China, but that the Islands woul
ave 10 be retained. because no Gov
uhihent in Japan could stand IL ther
cas an agreement to return them /
vvermany' He said 1t was then prac
SoAny arranged that the Equator shoul
me line Of division between the &C
SIted territories of Japan and Grea
S,ltain so far as the conquered island
were concerned"
information Received I'm Paris.
.norah-Mr Secretary, as under
~ nu you the first knowledge you ha
Sny OF these agreements other tina
nrhlsh agreement was on what date
rnahsng-ln the early part of Eel