The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-20
JAPAN's OBVIOUS DUTY.
An Official Adviser to China Replies
to Professor Ladd.

| emphasis IN making statements were
guarantee Of their truth Professor
Lndd's interview in THE SUN of August
would be convincing. His original
letter OF July 10, to which replied on
July Is. contained two propositions, the
first of which was: "It was of course
understood that Japan should be repaid
J for the expenses to which II had been
| In taking possession of the peninsula"
His second point was that "all through
the administration of Yuan Shih-k'ai
! China was completely under control of
Germany Won Hintze had complete
control of Germany's policy until the
death of Yuan" The rest of the arti-
Gle was a diatribe upon the weakness
and Incompetence Of the Chinese Gov
eminent.
In my reply I passed over the first
point entirely as It seemed so malapro-
pos to the spirit of the American nation
at the conclusion of conference in
which 1t asked for no indemnities for
itself. The American answer to the
suggestion that Japan should be repaid
for her expenses in the war Is the Paris
| treaty In which America asks nothing
| for her own profit or reimbursement.
AS to the second point concerning
German influence in China my reply
showed that Won Hintze. the notorious
German Minister. was only in China a
| few months before the death Of Yuan
Shlh-k'ai and that 1t was sheer nonsense
to say that he had complete control
of China's policy until the death of
Yuan" for Yuan Shih-k'ai was Presi-
dent from 1912 to 1916, and Won Hlntze
arrived in Pekin the latter part of 1915.
Professor Ladd in his second article at
tempts rebuttal by quoting from a
reputable paper in the Far East" con-
corning the origin of the riots of Chi
nese students in Toxic due to the Chi
nese-Japanese negotiations.
AS the quotation is dated January
1916, 1t is presumed that the demon
| strations of Chinese students in Toxic
referred to are those which occurred
in protest against the twenty-one de-
mands made by Japan against China
In that month. Professor Ladd does
not disclose the name of the "reputab BILE
paper" which attempted to draw the
red herring OF German intrigue over the
! ebulltion Of patriotism exhibited by Chi
nese students in Toxic when they be-
licved that their country was in i'm
/ n:inent danger from the consequence Of
the demands, II acceded to. 1t is safe
| to infer that the reputable paper Is
Japanese.
Its version OF the Chinese student
demonstrations was shown by the stormy
! events which followed in the wake Of
| the demands to have been distorted.
Chinese students at that time needed
no stimulus from German influences
to infiame them against the demands
Of the country where they were pursu-
lnr their studies
At any rate, the only fact of impor-
| tance at tho present time is that Ger
nan influence has been completely an
initiated by the expulsion of all Ger
mans from China during the spring Of
this year. and II one reasons backward
from this fact not much can be left of
Professor Ladd's unsupported contention
as to the domination OF German infiu-
ence in China during the war.
The statement attributed to me by
Professor Ladd that the Government
at Pektn is firmly established over the
! whole of China" is total perverson
OF my remark that there never has
been time since the establishment of
the republic in 1912 when there has not
been a government in Pekin capable of
negotiation" did not claim that China
has a we'll established Government, but
1t Is only fair to say that those were
utterly deceived who had counted on
the internal differences In China to cause
divided counsels as to the war or as
to China's case at the Peace Conference.
The decree of the Pekin Government
is often withstood in the provinces as
to Internal affairs, but there is unity
as to foreign policy. Two of the delo-
gates. in the Paris Conference. Messrs.
Wong and WI. were nominated by the
| southern Government and received their
commissions from the President at Pc
kir. China is in grievous need OF re-
formed methods is In a sorry financial
plight and needs careful, sympathetic
guidance for several years to come, but
more of these circumstances justify or
make advisable her further spoliation,
whether II be under the, guise of the
forcibly imposed treaty OF 1915 or OF the
provisions Of the Versailles compact
The whole matter 10 capable of such
easy solution that II is useless to at
tempt to obscure the issue by the intro
duction OF extraneous matter. Shan
tuns 10 a portion of China; Germany
robbed China of Kiao- Chau and certain
rights in Shantung province; japan full
filled her duty in the war by turning
Germany out of her Ill gotten territory
and by destroying her naval power in
the Pacific; China entered the war on
the side OF the Allies. What is the
right thing for Japan to do TO China?
The obvious reply is restore Kiao-
Chau and former German rights in
Shantung to China without conditions
and without reservations. Then join
with other interested Powers in help
ing China to reestablish orderly gov
eminent and t0ke her proper place
among the nations Of the world. Such
a policy will restore kindly feelings be-
tween China and Japan and promote
the peace OF the Far East. The conse-
quences OF any other course cannot be
foreseen. JOHN c. FERGUSON.
NEWTON, Mass. August 10.