Evening star., 1919-11-13
Some Shantung Queries.


concessions to her uneondltlonaily
should be ratified without reservation,
in full confidence that this promise
will be carried out.
But the world, which is ready to be
lieve that Japan will keep her verbal
promise. modifying the unambiguous
terms of written instrument. does
not vet understand precisely what ia
nan promises. and the bitter political
controversy in Japan over the peace
treaty suggests that Japan herself
does not yet know exactly what she
has nromised or how she will wish her
promise to be construed.
Are all, or part, or none of the
Shantung concessions to be restored
to China? Is the restoration to be
immediate. or soon, or late, or neverF
Is the promise only to restore terri
torial rights and retain economic con
cessions' If those are accurate who
deny that any territorial rights what
soever were conveyed to Germany by
the Shantung concessions, has Japan
promised to restore nothing'
Or is Japan's promise merely to re-
turn to China what Japan pleases of
concessions transferred to her uncon
diiionally by the treaty: and if China
d,rs lot beg for this partial return
with sufficient humility, or display suf
fieient gratitude for Japan's benef-
cence, or refuses to pay any new con
sideration whatever for the return, is
the promise nullifed or withdrawn,
with the result that Japan holds
everything and returns nothings
Is the promise of return made to
China alone or to the allies and the
world, If made to the world. why
should the fulfllment of it depend on
China's signature of treaty which
treats Japan's promise as non-exist
ents fs
How can China's refusal to sign the
peace treaty because it ignores ia
pans promise to return Shantung be
utilized as a pretext to nullify that
promisef
If the promise is made to the allies
VI the world, they only can relieve
Japan from keeping her word. and
China's refusal to sign the treaty or
to negotiate" has no tendency to
nullify Japan's promise.
If China is not to pay a new con-
sideration in concessions which will
in effect repurchase the Shantung
rights from Japan, what is there to
negstiate about' China is, of course,
ready to receive gratefully at any
time. the sooner the better, return of
the Shantung concessions which Ger
many extorted from her, which Japan
took from Germany by force. and
which Japan has promised repeatedly
in-general and vague terms to return
to China.
Though time is of the essence of
Japan's promise, who can say precisely
s1en Japan promises to fulfill itq
II fulillment is postponed until
after China "signs" or "negotiates" to
Japan's satisfaction, may not the post
ponement be forevera Indeed, it has
been suggested that it will be time
enough for Japan to transfer the
the European nations are ready to re-
turn the similar concessions extorted
by them from China in the past; or
when England carries out its old
promise to surrender Egypt, or when
Uncle San's alleged promise to re-
store the Philippines TO the Filipinos
is met
Apparently Japan has not yet bound
herself to return these concessions, OF
any part of them, at any fixed and
certain date. Going to the other ex.
treme the United States and China
it had already been fulfilled.
Equity courts on proper occasion
treat what ought to be done as done
whether it has been actually done o,
not. China by refusal to sign the
treaty and the United States by its
Shantung reservation treat fulfill
ment of Japan's promise to return
Shantung as in equity already accom-
pIished, and seek to have the treaty
so construed and practically applied
as to recognize that Japans promise
is an integral part of the Shantuns
provision, it having in the eyes Of
equity been already fulfilled.
Everybody agrees that the treaty
provision eoneerri,g Shantung doe.
not represent accurately the under
standing OF the interested parties con
cerning the disposition of these con
eessions. They are not to go abso
lutely and Internationally to Japan, a.
the treaty provides, but are to be re
turned to China through Japan a
trustee or middleman. The undeter
mined points are the date of tn
restoration to China and the amour
of commission, if any, which Chin
Is to pay Japan as middleman or trus