South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-08-07
WILSON MADE JAP
TREATY--LANSING
Secretary Tells Senators He
Cannot Square Principles
of SeIf-determination.

WASHINGTON. Aug. = ~ Sec'y
Lansing. before the senate foreign
relations committee Wednesday, ex-
planned % the opposition that the
ShantunE provision Of the treaty did
not square with Pres't Wilson's
enunciated principle Of seif-deter-
mination. but maintained that the
treaty as a whole carried out sub
stantialIy" the presidents fourteen
points.
Declaring his unfamiliarity with
many details OF the peace negOtia-
tions I'D OF the treaty itself. the
secretz-v tnld the committee ne was
unable 20 answer many Of its ques-
tions and reminded senators in an
swering theirs that he merely was
expressing his own personal views.
Ask the president" said the sec
rotary. when pressed for details OF
the Shaatung and League or Ma
lions negotiations. on three Of the
points raised he asked permission 20
refresh his memory and make
statement 10 the committee later.
and when ne was asked for "A de-
tailed construction OF the labor and
reparations clauses ne protested that
he could not be expected TO carry
the minutes OF an 10000 word docu-
ment in his mind and reminded the
committee a. was much easier to
ask questions prepared beforehand"
than 20 answer them off-hand.
Might Have Signed Anyway.
As 20 his own personal views. Mr..
Lansing said that Japan would prob
ably have signed the treaty without
the Shantung provision; that the
United States should ask no part Of
the German PREPARATION; that the
former German emperor could not
be legally tried and that the mutual
guarantee OF territorial integrity
from external aggression. as con-
tanned in article 10 OF the league
covenant. imposed a moral obliga-
ton. but not a legal one.
The secretary said IL was true that
the IA points had not been discussed
10 his knowledge in the preparatory
stages OF the peace negotiations;
that the American draft of the
League of Nations never was press
ed" before the conference; that the
president had asked the peace con
ference not 10 lay before the French
senate the record of discussions OF
the league; and that the United
States did not know OF secret treat
les between the allies and Japan re-
garding Shantung when this cOun-
try BY the Lansing Ishii agreement
recognized Japan's special interest"
IN China.
Denies British Domination.
II was not true, Sec'y Lansing
said, that he and other members of
tie American delegation protested"
against the Shantung settlement;
that Great Britain refused 10 per
nit" discussion Of the freedom of
the seas by the peace conference; or
that any Of the American expert ad-
visers had resigned because they
disagreed with the decision regard
ing ShantunG.
The general basis on which the
treaty was framed, said the secre-
tary. was common sense and gem
eraI principles with an avoidance OF
policy and expediency." Verbatim
records OF the discussion. he told
the committee, had been left in
Paris. adding that he would favor
giving 10 the senate the less com
plete transcripts in the possession OF
the state department because il
might cause irritation" TO other
governments.
Both the Shantung provision and
the league covenant. the witness
said, had been negotiated largely by
the president, who alone of the
American delegates would be able
TO reveal details OF the discussions
The secretary was before the
committee during the whole day OF
the session and although senators
apparently had finished their qucs-
uoning or him when Adjournment
was taken tonight il was thought
aikely that other points might bC
brought up when he appears AGAR
next Monday Mr. Lansing asked q
be given until that time To- prepare
his statement in reply 10 question,
asked today about the Lansing-Ishi
agreement the attitude of IN,
United states towards Japan's q
demands on China in 1915. and
what part this government took to
ward bringing China into the war.