Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-07-26
.SHANTUNG CESS|ON
IS IN VIOLATION OF
SOLEMN COVENANT
Secret japanese Entente
Treaty Breaks Contract
With America.
ALLEGED TO BE CONTRARY
TO ROOT T-TAKAHIRA PACT
President Said to Have Learned
of Secret Bargain Entirely by
Accident.
AGAINST LATE UNDERSTANDING
Lansing-Ishii Document Pledged
Mikado's Kingdom Against Ag-
grcssion at China's Expense.
ALLEGED TO BE CONTRARY
TO R0OT-TAKAHlRA PACT
AGAINST LATE UNDERSTANDING
By JUSTIN McGRATH.

tung award threatens to become tv-
phoon OF contention which will upset
the work of the peace conference
II Is practically certain to cause ma
terial modification of the treaty and
the covenant of the league of nations
on the part of the United States.
Since the arrival here of c. c. Wuand
the two delegates from Sha ntung who
are here officially to protest against
the cession to Japan. Senators and
Representatives have received infor-
nation of most startling character
bearing on the significance to the
United States of tho cession
When this information is given to
the Senate and the public Officially. it
is bound TO create sensation through
out the country. II Will reveal that
Japan not not, only IS despoling China.
ton her solemn agreements with the
United states: and violating them in
| aces the future safety OF the United
| States in the opinion OF its own mill
tary. naval and economic experts.
breaks Agreement With America.
Even when the shantung cession
was viewed merely as an outrage on
! China. great opposition to 1t was
aroused throughout the country by the
speeches of Senators who cxposed its
true character. 1t can be conjectured.
therefore. how greatly this opposition
Will be augmented when ii is realized
leading UP to IT aud the agreements
alleged to have been reached by Japan.
Great Britain and France with respect
to II: not only constituted an outrage
on China. hut broke solemn agreements
With the United States entered into
the war and since the war
The information which will follow
is no mere idle or irresponsible gossip.
by the Chinese representatives and
the representatives Of American in
terest in the Far East to leaders OF the
Senate and the House with the request
that the necessary Investigations
be made TO establish its truth in every
particular.
Against Root-Tnkahira Pact.
In the first place it is declared that
violation of the RootTakahira agree
ment and the lshii-LansinG agreement
made in November. 1908. it was agreed
that the policy OF Japan and the United
States was to be directed toward the
maintenance of the existing status quo
in the Pacific. and 10 preserve the in
tegrity OF China.
In violation OF this agreement. it
ments with Great Britain and France.
on the. side of the allies was TO be the
reNersion TO her of all the German
rights in the Shantung Peninsula and
all of the German islands in the Pa
chic north OF the equator.
Gave No Information.
Japan never save the United states
France. The first intimation the
United states had OF the existence OF
those secret agreements was obtained
by President Wilson at the peace con-
ference in Paris in most unlocked
When the question OF the disposi-
lion lion Of the German rights in China and
the suggestion that no present dis
position be made of German rights in
legacy TO the league of nations TO b"
difasa datorT or foyer"ed under the man
leagues hest judgment
Baron Maxine demurred to this sug-
Gss,ion tSs Of The President; He stated
the agreements made with Japan by
Great Britain and France at the be
had never heard OF those agreements.
and demanded TO know what they
were produced.
President Makes Objection.
The President objected to those
agree nents being carried out. as the
and had received no notice Of them
Il was then that Baron Makino
ihrea'eneq wsr .ha d unless the
the conference and refuse to enter ih,
league of nations.
l'residcnt In his protest made the
point that the cessions To japan under
the secret agreements with Great
Britain and France violated the agree
,ment entered into by the Japanese am
bassador, iai Takahira and the then See
hardly conceivable that he did make
this point. and afterwards agreed to
tnc ratlllcation or Japan'S secret
aaGreement al with Great Britain and
France, despite their violation of Ia
pans agreement with the Limited
states.
1t is more likely that objection 10
the ratification OF the secret nacts
with Japan on the ground OF their vio
lation Of Japan's agreement with the
United States was made by Secretary
Lansing. General Bliss and Mr. White in
the protest which they are known to
have filed
Inter Contract Broken.
Secretary Lansing. of course. must
have known OF the Root t-Takahira
agreement. AT any rate he most GER
tainly knew Of the LaninG-Ishii agree
ment OF 1917, This agreement did moi
repeal tho Root-Takahira agreement,
but so far as China was concerned. at |
(Continuel on Second page