South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-11-12
Wilson s Part in the
Struggle With Japan
OUer Social Equality
How Rejection of OrientapS First Contention by Peace
Conference Increased Their Irritation and
Insistence on Shantung Issue

way the president stood for a fun
hearing Of the Chinese by the coun-
ell Of ten; and notable presenta-
ton Of the Chinese case was given
by Mr. Wellington KOo. On the
other hand, it was he. beyond any
other, who was most anxious to
have the Japanese-the silent part
ners Of the conference - express
their views upon all the difficult is
sues
studied All Sides.
To the Shantung question the
president gave laborious considera-
ton. As know from personal
knowledge. he studied the maps and
the reports, and he saw, repeatedly,
the experts on all sides
Consider. for a moment the exact
situation at Paris on April %. when
the Japanese-Chinese crisis reached
the explosive point
1t was on that very day that. the
German delegates were coming
morosely into Versailles. ready for a
treaty that was not yet finished. The
Big Three"-fOr Orlando had then
Withdrawn from the conference
had been gradually lengthening
their sessions: the discussions were
longer and more acrimonious. They
We're tired out. Only six days be-
fore. on April %. TIL high council
had been hoplessly deadlOcked on
tho Ito ffoY, r,togtfo,, TIL ,,.o.ga -.
had issued his bold message TO the
world regarding the disposition Of
Fiume Gas described in another ar
ticle) and the Italian delegation de-
parted from Paris with the expecta-
ton that their withdrawal would
either force the hands of the con-
ference. or break it up.
Belgium's UItimamm.
While this crisis was at it's height
the Belgian delegation, which had
long been FESTIVE over the non-set-
Element of Belgian claims for repair
atoms, became insistent. They had
no place in the supreme council and
they were worried lest the French
and British-neither of whom could
begin to get enough money out of
would take the lions share and
leave Belgium unrestored The lit
tie nations were always worried at
Paris lest the big ones take every
thing and leave them nothing. Very
little appeared in the news at the
{ inc Il
mands. but they reached practically
an ultimatun; if Belgium were not
satisfied she also would withdraw
from the conference and refuse to
sign the treaty.
1t was at this critical moment that
the Chinese-Japanese question had
to be settled. 1t had TO be settled
because the disposition of German
rights in China (unlike Italian
claims in the Adriatic) had 10 go in
to the German treaty before it was
presented to Brockdorf- Rantzau and
his delegates at Versailles: and be-
cause the japanese would not sign
the treaty unless it was settled. The
detection of Japan. added TO that OF
Italy and the possible withdrawal Of
Belgium, would have made the sit
Uation desperate.
What Japan Wanted.
The two principal things that
Japan wanted at the peace confer
ence were. first. a recognition in the
covenant Of the League of Nations
Of the equality OF the nations and
the just treatment Of their nation
ais and, second, the recognition of
certain rights over the former Ger
man concessions in China (Shan-
tung).
After a struggle LISTING all
through the conference Japan had
finally lost out. in the meeting of
the League of Nations. Commission
on April II. in her first great con-
tention. She was refused the rec
ognition OF racial or even national
equality which she demanded-al-
though a majority OF the nations
on the League Of Ma
tons commission agreed with her
that her desire Tor such recognition
was just and should find a place in
the covenant. OF this Viscount Chin
da said plainly: The national aspir-
alton OF Japan depends upon its
Public opinion in Japan
is very much concerned over this
question and certain people have
even gone so far as 10 say that Jap
an viii not become a member Of the
League Of Nations unless she is sat
isled on this point"
An Important Struggle.
Few people realize how sharply
the japanese felt this hurt to their
pride; and few people realize the
meaning OF this struggle. as a fore
runner of one OF the great coming
struggles of civilization-the race
struggle. We had at Paris the rep
Of . several powerful
race groups. all asserting a new
racial dignity. all working for the
recognition OF a new equality.
Not only were there the powerful
japanese and Chinese; but there
was a Jewish group. a nc-ro group.
an Egyptian group; and when all is
said the Irish question is largely
racial question. And no problems
.aised at Paris struck fire sooner
than these. the hostility of the
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