Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-05-04
Statement Issued at Paris
Says That JapS Are Only.
Substituted for Germans by,
Kiao Chau Agreement.
CHINESE HOLY LAND
GIVEN ALIEN PEOPLE
If Any Reason TO Stand Firm|
in Regard to Fiume, Only
More So in Regard to Shan
tung, It Is Claimed,

Paris, May 2 (Friday by the Asso-
ciated Press.l lin declaring its disap-
pointment with the decision of the
council of three regarding Kiao Chau
the Chinese delegation in its statement
today said the decision gives Japan
practical control of northern China.
The statement reads:
"The Chinese delegation has been
informed orally on behalf of the coun-
Gil of three OF the outline of the set
tlement proposed regarding the Shan
tung question. Under this settlement
all rights to Kiao Chau formerly be-
longing to Germany are transferred toI
Japan. While Japan voluntarily en-
cages to hand back the Shantung Pc
ninsula in full sovereignty to China,
she is allowed to retain the economic
privileges formerly enjoyed by Ger
many.
"These privileges. the delegation isl
informed, refer to the Using Tao-Chi-
nan railway, 2S0 miles long, the
mines connected with it and the two
railways to be built connecting Shan
tung with the two trunk lines, from
Peking to the Yangtse valley. In .ad-
dition, she obtains the right to estab-
lish a settlement at Using Tao and al
though the Japanese military forces,
it is understood. will be withdrawn
from Shantung Ct y ; earlies possible
moment, the employment Of special
railway police Is permitted.
such being the outline of the pro-
posed settlement, the Chinese delega-
ton can not but view it with disap
pointment and dissatisfaction.
ft,, l,fs Ia, IA Mt ~ ~
originated in an act of wanton aggres-
sion in 1897 characteristic of Prus-
sian miltarisn. To transfer these
rights to Japan, as the council of three
proposes to do, is therefore to con-
firm an act of aggression which has
been resented by the Chinese ever
since its preparation.
Japan for Germany.
Such virtual substitution of Japan
for Germany in ShantunG is serious
enough in itself but 1t becomes grave
when the position of Japan in south
ern Manchuria and eastern Mongolia
is read in connection with it, Firmly
entrenched on both sides of the Gulf
of Pc Chi L. the water outlet of Pc
king, with a hold on the three trunk
lines from Peking and connecting 1t
with the rest of China, the capital he
comes but an enClave in the midst of
Japan influence.
Moreover, owing to China's dec
laration of war against the central
powers. August l3. 1917, and the abro-
CATION of all treaties and agreements
between China and these powers, the
German rights automatically reverted
to China. This official declaration was
officially notified to and teten cog
nzance of by the allies and associated
governments. 1t is therefore signifl-
cant that the council in announcing
the settlement of the Kiao-Chau
Shantung question referred to the
rights to be transferred to Japan as
the rights formerly belonging to Ger
many
"It appears clear that the council
has been bestOwing on Japan the
rights not of Germany, but of China;
not of an enemy, but of an ally. The
more powerfully ally has reaped a
benefit at the expense, not of the enc
my, but of the weaker ally.
Besides, Shantung is China's Holy
Land. packed with memories of Con
fucius and Mencius and hallowed as
the cradle of her civilization.
IF it is the intention of the council
to restore it to China, it is difficult to
see on what consideration of principle
or of eXpediency can be justified the
transfer in the first instance to an
alien power. which then voluntarily
engages to hand it back to the right
full owner.
Japan based its claim for the Ger
man rights in Shantung also on the
treaty and notes of 1915 and the notes
of 1918 with China. 1t is to he noted,
however, that the documents of 1915
were agreed to by China under CO.
ercion of an uItimatum threatening
war in case of compliance with
the twenty-one demands.
THE Chinese delegation under
stands the council was prompted by
the fact that Great Britain and France
had undertaken in February and
March 1917. to support at the peace
conference the transferring to Japan
of the German rights in Shantung. To
none of these secret agreements was
China a party nor was she informed
OF their contents when invited to join
the war against the central empires.
The fortunes of China appear thus
to have been made objects of negotia-
tion and compensation after she hal
allied herself with the allied powers.
Fourteen Points Violated.
Apart from this, it is at least open
to question how far these agreements
will be applicable in as much as China
since has become a belligerent The
claims of Japan referred to in this
agreement appear TO be scarcely COM
patible with the fourteen points
adopted by the powers associated
against Germany.
"If the council has granted the
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