Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-07-22
WILSON MAY
SUPPLY DATA
ON SHANTUNC
Considers Making Memo.
randa Public-Plea to
People Next Move.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.


! Copyright, 1919; by The Argus.)
| Washington, July 22.-(Exclu-
| sive.) Wilson has in his
possession memoranda designed to
/ clear up much of the criticism
over cession to Japan of German
rights in China. He has been de-
| batting over whether or not to
| make public some of these memor-
anda. Probably the consent of the
! Japanese delegates at Paris is nee
/ essary before anything textual can
be made public though the sub
stance of the assurances given to
Mr.. Wilson as the head of the
American mission may not be SUBJ
! ject to the same prohibition of sec
recy.
Senators who have talked with
Mr.. Wilson since his return from
/ Europe and who have told him of
the bad taste on the senatorial
palate made by the effort to swal-
low the peace treaty with the
Shantung provision have come
away from the White house with
the feeling that at least there are
two sides to the question and that
Mr. Wilson's explanations put q
different face on the matter.
Some senators, like Mr.. Norris
of Nebraska, are reported to be
unwilling to accept explanations in
confidence, arguing that the people
arc entitled to know what senator's
are told by the president.
Mr.. Wilson has argued that ex-
pediency required acceptance of
the Japanese view. At the same
time he is contending that Japan
is on record with respect to the
future in a way that will assure
China the return of her property.
Opposition Confirms Wilson View.
While the agitation over the
Shantung questions cannot be said
to have pleased friends of the pres
ident because of the inevitable
tendency of such a settlement TO
cause discredit on the work of the
Versailles conference, neverthe-
less the publicity which has been
given to the far eastern problem is
bound to have a favorable effect on
it's ultimate settlement by amicable |
methods. What Mr.. Wilson is be-
lieved to have told the Japanese
delegates in Paris concerning the
unfavorable impression which |
their demands would make on the I!
public opinion of America and the J
world generally, has now been I!
confirmed and it is not at all in !
conceivable that the president on !
renewing his representations for |
revision of Japan's demands will
be able to point to the senatorial /
opposition as evidence of the /
greater harm than good to Japan /
by insisting upon an aggressive .
policy in China.
"Charity Begins at Home"
Yet the japanese on their part !
have told the Americans again and
again that charity begins at home
and that the Japanese ought not to
be expected to surrender rights or
make sacrifices II others are un-
willing to do the same. Has the
United States surrendered the Mon
roe doctrine? Has England or
France given up their leases in
China? Has Italy been absolutely
denied Fiume? The Japanese would
be more impressed If Great Brit
place like Wei Hal Wei, SO that
Japanese public opinion might un-
deTstand that everybody has be-
come aItruistie,
The president did nothing to ad-
vance the situation today nor did
the opposition senators make any
move. Mr., Wilson was
too Ill to continue his conferences
with senators and a canvass of
sentiment on Capitol hill reveals
40 marked tendency to eapitulate
10 the president because of his
OFai efforts of last week, Senator
Lodge is as confident as he ever {
was that reservations considered
by Mr., Wilson will
lot cause prolonged negotiations &
with the European powers. He is
going ahead on that assumption ]
and he has a sufficient following to
give concern to the presidents I
VIII FOllew Rect Program.
The Republican policy just now q
S to follow out the Root program. '
This would put a fFe-yeaF limita- |
ion ca article 10 or eliminate it [
LltogetheF The president says that S
europe would in effect call Amer !
ca "a gutter" if, after entering E
nte an agreement te guarantee the
boundaries of the treaty, the Unit 4
d States served notice at the same 2
ime that after five years she would
lot be SO bound. He contends that
Europe might we'll ask, why did
ou get aboard the ship Ia the first {
lace T
Also, MF Wilson is pictEFiRg the Il
Thoie European situation as dan d.
eroUsfy near chaos and complete
isnrdar He tolls Sanafnrs the