The Butler weekly times and the Bates County record. (Butler, Mo.) 1918-1950, 1919-07-31
THE SHANTUNG QUESTION

THE SHANTUNG QUESTION
In time when transformation j
more easily obtained and more wide
ly spread than information, opinion
are likely to be raised upon unstable
foundations. 1t is self-evident tina
no opinion can be right that is no
based upon truth. knowledge of ths
truth is no guaranty of right opin
ions, as the world we'll knows, but
nevertheless truth is essential to cor.
rect Judgment. For example, the
case of Shantung. A few weeks age
comparatively few Americans had
ever heard Of Shantung. Now we
know lot about it, much of which
isn't so, and our opinions, for the
grezfer part, are based rather upon
the false than upon the true. 1t is
the general impression, justified by
many reports, that the peace treaty
gives the Shantung Peninsula OF
China to Japan, and that the 10000
600 Inhabitants of that province arc
handed over bodily to- the island EN-
pire as the spoils of war. What are
the facts? Article $50 of the Treaty
of Versailles reads as follows:
Germany renounces in favor of
Japan all her rights, titles and priv
ileges-particularly those concernisg
the territory of Kiaochow, railways,
mines and submarine cables-which
she acquired in virtue of the treaty
concluded BY her with China ON
March f, 1898, and of all other ar
engagements relative to the Province
of Shantung."
What are the rights, titles and
privileges" acquired by Germany un-
der the treaty of 1898? Aside from
the German rights in. the Tsingtao-
Tsinanfu Railway and certain Ger
man submarine cables, Japan gets
nothing that is not specified in that
treaty, which leased to Germany for
period of ninety-nine years the Bay
of Kiao-Chow and its environs, some
400 square miles in all. established
Neutral zone back of the bay, cover
ing about $500 square miles, gave
Germany the right to build two lines
of railway in the Province of Shatung
and to open mines along the rail-
ways, and guaranteed that German
capital and material should've sought
first in case the Chinese chose to
develop the province with foreign
aid. These are the rights, titles and
privileges" acquired by Japan. China
did not surrender her title to any
portion of the Shantung Peninsula,
nor does Japan acquire any proprie-
tory title. The area of the Province
of Shantung is 10000 square miles.
The area of the territory passing to
the control of japan as lessor for a
period of ninety-nine years, twenty
one of which have expired, is 400
square miles. The population of the
leased district in 1913 was 10000:
the population of the neutralized
zone was 100000 Thus it will be
seen very small part of Shantung
is involved territorially, and that part |
a lease with definite termination.
In 1915 China signed treaty with
Japan, under pressifre, agreeing ito |
give full assent to all matter upon |
which the Japanese Government may
hereafter agree with the German
Government relating to the DISPOSE
ton of all rights. interests and con-
cessions which Germany, by virtue
Of treaties or otherwise, possesses in
relation to the Province of Shan
tung." In connection cwith this the
foreign minister of japan made the
pledge which follows:
'In the name of my Government l
have the honor ito make the follow
ing declaration to >the Chinese Gov
ernmest:
when. after the termination of
the present war. the leased territory
of Kiaochow Bay is completely left
to the free disposal of Japan. the
Japanese Government will restore
the said leased territory to China I'M
der the. following conditions:
IL. The whole of Kiaochow Bay
to be opened ~ commercial port.
~. A concession under the ex- +
elusive .jurisdietion of Japan to be
established 1t . place designated by
the japanese Government.
-. IF the foreign powers desire it
in international concession may be
~. AZ regards the disposal to be
AhUOR vs. JIG UulAObAs8o ohsu RhORStWSS
u. Germany and the conditions and
ptocedure relating thereto. the jap
lneae Government and the Chinese
shall arrange the matter
b. mutual Agreement before the res
s 5siss.d) -HrAKI EKr."
9Spen 10 therefore pledged to the
!etpGn. OF the leased Territory in
shealqng. not. 1T the termination of
lie German lease in 1877 but when,
lftefz the termination Of Vie present
vaxs the teased territory "is eonE
plesel1 1eft 70 the, free Disposal u II
Iapan,s The Treaty Of versaillesj
|reesfexs tie l<sse to JspsI, carrying,I
8 N41 -. assened, the EiGht Of "free L
Di6peeals vithin he nea9iae Of thfef
lee&(e. Tie 9ee1eiee ia fests ep-1.
y, = 80 EiIA ~ 56eee q tkej