Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-08-26
PRESIDENT DENIES
TREATY WAR PACT
Wilson Tells Senate Committee
Congress Only War Maker.
JAPAN WON'T RULE SHANTUNG
Tells Senators Tokyo Has Promised to
Give Up Any Sovereignty There
Asks Them to Interpret but
Not to Change Treaty.

Not to Change Treaty.
Washington, Aug. 2O.-To a query
as to what sovereignty Japan retained
in Shantung President Wilson said at
the conference: "She has not retained
sovereignty over anything. l mean
she has promised not to. Senator
Borah has asked whether this under
standing was oral or otherwise. l do
not like to describe the operation ex-
actly if it is not. perfectly discreet.
As a matter of fact, this was tech
nically oral, but literally written and
formulated and the formulation agreed
upon"
President Wilson said he disagreed
with the opinion given the committee
by Secretary Lansing that Japan
would have signed the treaty regard
less of whether it contained the Shan
tung provision.
when is the return (Of Shantung
to China) to be made" asked Sena-
tor Johnson.
"That was left undecided, but we
were assured at the time that it would
be as soon as possible"
did not the Japanese decline to
fix any date?"
"They did at that time, yes; but l
think it is fair to them to say they
could not at that time say when it
would be-"
Did Japan Have Mastery?
Senator Johnson asked whether the
economic privileges retained did not
give Japan "a fair mastery" over the
province. The president replied that
while he did no feel qualified TO
judge, he would regard that as 'an eX-
aggerated veiw."
In answer to Senator Knox the
president said he believed a League of
Nations would have prevented Japan
from spreading her influence as she
has over Manchuria and Korea
When Senator Johnson of Califor-
MIA asked the president how the Amer
lean delegates voted on Japan's pro-
pOSal for racial equality the president
replied that Gin the interest of inter-
national good understanding" he
could not answer the question.
The president did not approve of
suggestion that the transcript of the
process verbal be brought from Paris
and laid before the committee because
every one has spoken with the utmost
freedom.
Asked whether he thought Japan
could be depended on to carry out her
promise in good faith, the president
replied:
81 have every confidence that she
will"
Senator Moses asked whether Sc
cret agreement with reference to
Avlona was produced at Versailles.
The president replied that he had
heard of it, but never had seen it.
Senator MOses-The purpose of my
inquiry was to ascertain whether
there was laid before the council of
zen any teXtual agreement which
transferred parts of the territory of
Independent nations to another.
The President-Only those that you
have spoken of.
Senator MOses-Shantung and Az
Iona?
The President-Only those that we
have had under general discussion. l
cannot enumerate them. But there
are none that have not been produced
so far as 1 know. That answers the
question.
In answer to further questions by
Senator Johnson President Wilson
said Japan had notified the confer
ence her delegates would not sign the
treaty as drawn. The Shantung pro-
vision was inserted, the president said,
In view Of the engagements of Great
Britain and France and because he
thought it the best that could be done.
Thinks League Would Have Helped.
Senator KnOX-Mr. President, the
economic privileges that they origin
ally acquired in Korea and subse-
quently in inner and outer Mongolia
and in northern and southern Man
churia have almost developed into a
complete sovereignty over those coun-
tries, have they not?
The Presidential the absence of a
League of Nations they have.
Senator KnOx-You think the
League of Nations would have pre-
vented that?
The President am confident it
would.
Senator New-Mr. President. does
not this indefinite promise of Japan's
suggest the somewhat analogous case
of England's occupation of Malta? She
has occupied Malta for something like
a century, l believe, under very sim
liar promise.
The President hope you will par
don me if / do not answer that ques-
ton.
Senator Fall asked who would de-
fend the mandate territories against
external aggression under the league,
and the president replied that primar-
lily the duty would rest with the man.
datcry power.
Only through action by congress
shall the United States lend any mill
tary assistance TO other members of
the League of Nations.
This was stated emphatically by the
president in an extended discussion