The sun., 1919-08-08
GRIP OF JAPAN ON
SHANTUNG Tasting"
Washington Diplomats Point
to Toxic Statements.
s,.c,a, D,spotcA 70 tn. suS.


WAsHINoroN. Aug. Z. -Japan's an
nouncement of policy with regard to
shantung is entirely unsatisfactory to
China and fulfills the predictions OF dip
lcmats here that the Toxic Government
would merely give the world a cleverly
phrased pronouncement which when an
alyzed means maintaining lasting grip
on the richest of the Chinese provinces.
According to the statement Of Wis.,
count Uchida. the japanese Foreign Min
lister. and according to the statements
which Baron Maxine and Viscount
Chinda made to President Wilson In
Paris, the Japanese Government really
agrees to nothing which will give Shan
tuns back to its rightful owners and fur
thermore deliberately announces deter
ninatson to keep Chinese economic rights
in this Chinese territory.
The essence of Japan's policy accord
ing to diplomats here, is found In that
uart of President Wilson's statement,
which said:
"In the conference of April 80 last,
where this matter was brought to con-
clusion among the heads of the principal
allied and associated Powers, the Japa-
ne Sc delegates, Baron Maxine and Wis
count Chinda. in reply to question put
by myself declared that:
1.-The policy of Japan Is to hand
back the Shantung peninsula In full
Sovereignty to China, retaining only the
economic privileges granted to Germany
and the right to establish settlement
teo.'"
From Chiuas Viewpoint.
The crux of the matter. according 10
the Chinese, is in the phrase economic
privileges" Japan, 1t Is explained, says
in effect that she will forcibly take
China's properties and divert them to her
own use but that China may still call
the properties hers, With exquisite ORR
entail politeness japan says: Il Will take
your pocketbook and spend the proceeds
lfer myself, but you, China, may call the
pocketbook yours"
Every official and every diplomat In
Washington fully realizes that the eco
nomic rights in Shantung constitute the
milk of the cocoanuts and that by keep
ing these rights, Japan merely returns
an empty shell to the Chinese. These
rights include use of the Kiao-Chau-
Tsinanfu Railway, which dominates the
province, as 1t Is the only means OF
communication the invaluable Iron and
coal mines. worth billions, and such other
privileges as mean military and eco
nomic power to Japan at the expense OF
China and the rest of the world.
So long as Japan obtains these rights,
which are of the greatest practical and
military value, the Chinese may manage
what remains in the province In their
own way and incidentally may console
themselves with the realization that all
these vitality important economic rights
which Japan possesses are legally Chi
neso To quote one official, the Chinese
may call them all hers and say they
come under her sovereignty provided she
will not interfere with Japan's exploita-
ton Of them.
| President Wilson's supplementary
statement is taken here to mean that he
| sees clearly through Japanese finesse In
| this matter, but the President in Paris
| took the position that this japanese ag-
erosion could not be helped and that
Japan's threats to interfere with the
League of Nations made it necessary for
| Justice and principle to be surrendered
to Toxic. Friends of the President
however, point out that no one Is more
keenly sensitive over this fragrant viola
ton of principle than the President
himself. The President has In fact gone