The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-03-01

The Shantung provision of the
treaty of Versailles is purely a case
of the United States and the other
allied nations going through China's
pockets to pay Japan for her services
during the war. says w. G. Dennis,
former legal advisor to the Chinese
government, who is in the city visit
ing his mother, Mrs. D. W. Dennis, on
West Main street.
Mr.. Dennis is strongly in favor of
the Lodge reservation to the Shan
tung provision, as presented to the
senate at the time of it's original con-
sideration by that body.
"The senate reservation, as origin
ally proposed, was the best thing that
could be done, and | believe it should
be carried in the acceptance of the
treaty.
Would Benefit China
81 do not know how it now stands,
but, with the original reservation,
there is nothing that would vitality af-
feet the league of nations, and it
would be of great benefit to China"
he said
"The Shantung provision is neither
defensible or reSpectable,' Mr. Den
mis- said, 'but is merely a means of
during the war, or to my mind, what
she did not do, namely, line up on the
side of Germany.
Never Was Defended
1.-The provision. as far as l know,
has never been defended in principle,
by any responsible person. President
Wilson, in his San Francisco address,
and in his testimony before the senate
of the committee, did not defend
the principle of the provision, but
merely explained its existence. General
Bliss and ex-Secretary Lansing, both
declared the settlement unjust.
"The Shantung question is not a
case of whether the settlement is good
or bad. but how bad it really is.
"No great good can be bought by
such conduct. We are trying TO set
up a league of nations with proper
! respect for mankind, and the league
must get it's power from the world 8
respect. To China, which constitutes
one-third of the worlds population,
a great injustice has been done, and
! the league cannot be successfully car
ried on. in my opinion, with this in
| justice left unrighted.
Japan's Promise Worthless
Mr.. Dennis declared that Japan's
|
! ty in Shantung is both meaningless
and valueless. He declared that Jap
an, in the first place, had no sovereign
rights in China, and that through this
act. and the fact that in the past jap
an has made 100 per cent failure to
make good on her promises toward
China, make the whole settlement
without value. .
"China regained her rights in Shsn1-
tung when she declared war on Ger
many. and to hand these rights to
Japan will be a gross breach of faith
to the nation that is going to be, as
it has been in the past, one of the
greatest nations in the world"
All United To Oppose 1t.
The Shantung settlement has had
one great effect on China, Mr.. Dennis
declared. in that it has brought to-
gether all of the Chinese factions to
oppose the settlement He said that
China is rapidly forging ahead in
education, toward her just place
among the nations of the world, and
that the injustice Of the Shantung pro
vision has done more than any one
thing in recent years to unite her
peoples.
In speaking of the probable oI>,come
of the Shantung settlement, if it is
made according to the original treaty
Mr.. Dennis declared that it greatly
endangered the peace and happiness
of our grandchildren.
Japan Next Germany?
i "If Japan gets control of this por
ton of China, she will mobilize its
men and resources, and will be on her
way to try Germany's game over again
China will not submit to this Injustice
without a struggle, but its form will
depend largely on the circumstances
of the time.
Prompt action is necessary. for
Japan already has her men at work
in Shantung, and if the matter is al