Evening star., 1919-08-19

)RAL co
we can. I should like to know when
the first knowledge came to fnis
government with reference TO tne
secret treaties between Japan. Great
Britain. Italy and France concerning
the German possessions in Shantung!
Disclosure Of Secret Treaties
The President: I thought that Sec
retary Lansing had looked that up and
! told you. I can only reply from my
own knowledge. and my own knowl-
Senator Borah: We did get q reply
from Mr.. Lansing to the enect
| that SO far as he was concerned.
When did the secret treaty between
Great Britain, France ana the other
nations of Europe with refernce to
| come to your knowledge? Was that
after you had reached Paris also?
The President: Yes; the whole series
OF understandings were disclosed TO me
for the first time then.
Senator Borah: Then we had nc
knowledge Of these secret treaties 50
far as our government was concerned
until you reached Paris?
The President: Not unless there
was Information at the State Depart
ment, Of which / knew nothing.
Senator Borah: Do you know when
these secret treaties between Japan,
Great Britain and other countries was
first made known to China?
The President: No, sir: I do not.
remember a meeting Of what was
|! popularity called the council Of ten.
after our reaching Paris. in which II
was first suggested that all these un-
derstandinEs should be laid upon the
table of the conference. That was
some time after we reach ed there. and
|! 1 do not know. whether that was
China's first knowledge OF these mat
ters or not.
Senator Pursues the Inquiry.
Senator Borah: Would it be proper
for me to ask II Great Britain and
France insisted upon maintaining
these secret treaties at the peace CON.
ference as they were made?
The President: I think 1t Is proper
for me to answer that question. sir
will put it in this way: They felt
that they could not recede from them
by them-but when they involved
general interests such rs they real.
iZed were involved, they were quite
willing. and indeed 1 think desiroue
the consent Of the other parties.
mean with the consent SO far As they
were concerned of the other parties
Senator Moses: Were all those trea-
The President: Oh, yes.
Senator Moses: Did that include the
secret arrangement with reference te
Avlona?
agreement. senator. You mean with
regard to Italy having Avlona?
Senator Moses: Yes.
The President: If it did I did no,
see 1t. heard Of 1t, but I cannot say
confidently that the terms were laid
before US.
Recalls Presidents Statement.
Senator Moses: 1 recall in some
statements you made in connection
with Fiume that you referred to Italy
receiving Avlona under some agree
meuts previously arrived at. and in
that statement you held that to be
part compensation at least for any
loss she might sustain in not having
Fiume.
The President: was referring to
what l understood to be the agree
| ment. I am simply now answering
your question that I did not see thai
agreement In written terms.
Senator Moses: Then they were not
produced in textual form?
The President: l do not know; they
may have been and I may not have
picked them up in the great mass oi
papers before me.
Senator Moses: The purpose of my
inquiry was to ascertain whether
there was laid before the council OF
ten any textuai agreements which
transferred parts of the territory OF
independent nations to another.
Tho President: Only those that you
have spoken of. r's-7ss=53
Senator Moses: That is to say. Shan.
tunE and Avlona?
Tho President: I say only those tina,
we have had under general discus.
sion. cannot enumerate them. but
| produced SO far Al I know. That an.
! swefs the question.
Secret Treaties Identified.
Senator Mccumber: The secre,
treaties to which you refer are those
treaties which were made from time
to time as the exigencies Of the wal
! required during the period of the
| war?
The President: Yes.
Senator McCumber: And not treaties
The President: Yes.
Senator Williams: Mf. President, ]
wish to ask you question In order
to see IL the facts are clear in my
own mind. As I understand the Situa-
tion-and I should like to have you
correct me IL I am wrong-Eranee
and Great Britain both have stated
that they were bound by certain
treaties with Japan. and they were
perfectly willing. with Japan's con
sent. to reconsider those treaties. but
that they were themselves bound If
consent to reconsider. Is that about
Int?
The President: Yes
Senator williams: That Is what
thought. Bound in honor Is the only
way a nation is bound in international
affairs.
Understanding With Japan.
Senator Swanson: Can you tell US. OF
would it be proper to do so. Of your
understanding with Japan as to the
return Of Shantung-a question which
has been very much discussed?
Tho President: ! have. publiShed the
wording OF the understanding, SEN
ator. cannot be confident that
quote 1t literally, but I know that ]
quote 1t in substance. It was that
Japan should return to China in full
sovereignty the old province of Shan
tung SO far as Germany has had any
claims upon it, preserving to herself
the right to establish a residential dis
trict at Tsingtao, which Is the town
|of Kiachow bay: that with regard to
the railways and mines she should re-
tain only the rights Of an economic
concession there, with the right, how
ever, to maintain a special body of po-
lice on the railway. the personnel OF
which should be Chinese under jap
anese instructors nominated by the
managers of the company and ap-