Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-07-16
JAPAN BRIBED BY OFFER OF
CHINESE TERRITORY TO ENTER
THE WAR AGAINST GERMANY

Japan Held Winning Hand.
THE president could do nothing else
than give Shantung to Japan, if he
wanted the treaty signed. But the
whole question with us is whether the
United States will become now a par
ty to that transaction.
Il do not anticipate that if we re-
fuse to underwrite and guarantee the
rape of China, we will have to go to
war. | do not think Japan expects us
to underwrite this. She would have
been perfectly satisfied with a treaty
with Great Britain and France. That
is their business.
But if the time indeed has come
when the United States must engage
in the enslaving of peoples and must
break her forty-eght treaties guaran-
f teeing Chinese integrity, or else face
the challenge of another nation, then
she will face the challenge of another
nation. We have cringed long
enough"
Senator Lodges charge thai ia
pans support Of the league had been
purchased by the Shantung agreement
was coupled with warning that ia
pan was following in the footsteps of
Germany as an empire builder.
"On the eth day of March. 1916"
said Senator Norris. "the japanese
minister of foreign affairs at Toxic.
approached the British ambassador
located at that place with a view of
bringing about an agreement with the
British government. The British min
lister Cabled to his government at Lon
don, and after receiving instructions
from his government, wrote the Jap
anese government as follows:
Great Britain's Pledge.
British embassy, Toxic, Febru-
airy IS, 1917.
My dear eXcelIency: With refer
ence to the subject Of our converse
ton of the 27th ultimo
his Britannia majesty, with pleasure
to the japanese government for an
assurance that they will SUPPORT Jap
anese claims in regard to the disposal
of Germany's rights in Shantung AMI
possessions in the islands north of tha
equator on the occasion of the peace
conference; it being understood that
the Japanese government will in the
eventual peace settlement treat in the
same spirit Great Britain's claims to
the German islands south of the
equator.
4 avail myself of this opportunity.
NJ. lie, Minister, to renew to your ex-
cellency the assurance of my highest
consideration.
'CONYNGHAM GREENE.
His Britannia Majestys ambassa-
dor
''On the 21st day of February, 1917.
the japanese government replied to
this communication of the British
government as follows
The Japanese government Is
deeply appreciative of the friendly
spirit in which your government has
given assurance and happy to note t.
as fresh proof of the close ties that
unite the two allied powers. 7 take
pleasure in stating that the japanese
government on its part is fully pre-
pared to support in the same spirit
the claims which may be put forward
at the peace conference in regard to
the German possessions in the islands
south of the equator
Message to France.
"While the Japanese government
was waiting for a reply from the
British government, it proceeded also
to negotiate with the ether allied
gOvernmentas. Its message to the
French ambassador at Toxic was sign
ed by the Japanese foreign minister
ard was as follows
The imperial Japanese govern
ment proposes to demand
from Germany at the time of tho
peace negotiations the surrender of
the territorial rights and special in
terests Germany possessed before the
war in Shantung and islands situated
north of the equator in the Pacific
ocean.
The imperial Japanese govern
ment confidently hopes the govern
ment of the French republic, realizing
the legitimacy of this demand will
give assurance, that, her case being
proved, Japan may count upon its full
support in this question:
1T goes on without saying that re-
paration for damages caused to the
life and property of the japanese
people by the unjustifiable attacks of
the enemy as well as other conditions
of peace, of a character common to all
the entente powers are entirely out
side the consideration of the present
situation"
Reply of France.
"a few days later the French am
bassador replied TO the japanese for
cign office as follows:
The government of the French re-
public Is disposed to give the japanese
government its accord in regulating
the time of the peace negotiations
questions vital to Japan concerning
Shantung and the German islands in
the Pacific, north of the equator 1t
also agrees to support the demands
of the imperial Japanese government
for the surrender of the rights Ger
many possessed before the war in this
Chinese province and these islands.
M. BRAND demands, on the other
hand, that Japan give its support to
obtain from China the breaking of it's
relations with Germany and that it
gives this act desirable significance.
The consequences of this in China
should be the following:
First handing passports to the
German diplomatic agents and con-
suls.
Second, the obligation of all un-
der German jurisdiction to leave Chi
nese territory.
The internment of German ships
in Chinese ports and the ultimate
requisition of these ships in order to
place them at the disposition of the
allies, following the example of Italy
and Portugal According to the infor-
nation of the French government
there are fifteen ships in ChineseI
ports. totallihg about 10000 tons.
T. 49,