Evening star., 1919-11-16
Struggle Over Shantung the Final
Crisis of Paris Peace Conference

mentous goth of April, 1919. At that
moment three things seemed of su-
preme Importance if anything was to
be saved out of the wreckage of the
world. The first was speedy peace.
so that men everywhere might re-,
reconstruction and the avenues of
trade everywhere be opened. Peace
and work! The second was of su-
|, preme mportance-keeping the great
allies firmly welded together to steady
world which was threatened with
anarchy. 1t was absolutely neces-
sary to keep going concern in the
world! The third was to perpetuate
this world organization in a league
of nations-this the most important
avalanche of new problems which
were just ahead.
Broad Reconstruction Lines.
If the conference were broken up.
or even if Italy remained out, and
Japan went out, these things would
be impossible. On the other hand. If
the allies could be kept firmly to-
gether, peace established and a
league Of nations brought into being,
there was a chance of going forward
with world reconstruction on the
broadest lines, and of the full realiza-
tion of the principles Of justice laid
down in the armistice terms and ac-
cepted by all nations. The treaty,
after all, is no final settlement; it
is only one step in the great process
of world reconstruction.
1t was with all these considera-
tions in view that the Shantung set
tlement was made by the council of
three sitting in the Presidents house,
in the Place des Etats Unis-with
the Japanese in full agreement.
This settlement was in two parts: !:
the first set forth in the treaty itself,
and the second a special agreement
of the three great powers with Japan.
many people, who look for the en-
tire settlement in the treaty itself.
Under sections 156, 1877 and 15S OF
the treaty all the rights at kiao-
Chau and in shantung province for
transferred without reservation to
Japan. This conforms broadly with
the various treaties, and gives a proud
nation what it considered it's full
rights.
delegates at the conference, on be-
half of their government, made VOL
untary agreement Ito hand back the
| Shantung peninsula in full SOW
ereignty to China. retaining only the
economic privileges granted to Ger
| lIldy anu Tue III " CSldOiiSl q SCI
| tlement under the usual conditions at
! Tsingtao."
Under this agreement by which
Japan makes an unqualified recession
of the sovereign rights in Shantung
| to China. she also agrees to remove
all japanese troops remaining on the
1 peninsula "at the earliest possible time. "
Rights japan Gets.
! Japan thus gets only such rights as
an economic concessionaire as are
already possessed by one or two great
powers and the whole future relation
ship between the two countries falls
! at once under the guarantee of the
| league of nations. by the provisions of
| which the territorial integrity and
| political independence of China will
! be insured.
| If the President had risked every
| thing in standing for the Immediate
| and complete realization of the Chi
! nese demands, and had broken up
] the conference upon that issue, it
would not have put Japan either po-
litically or economically out of China
Neither our people nor the British
certainly would have gone to war
with Japan solely to keep her out of
Shantung. The only hope of China in
| the future-and Wilson looks not only
to the removal of the sphere of inf1u-
| ence. which Japan controls, but to the
| removal of all other spheres of for
| eign influence in China-is through a
! firm world organization, a league OF