New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-08-08

road has been operated by the Japa-
nesc and the whole line of railroad
policcd by Japanese soldiers.
The Treaty of Versailles confirmed
Japan accession to all German rights
IN Shantung, including the railroad,
Germany acquiesced in this. Japan an
nounced that when her title was clear
to all German rights she would then
surrender to China all rights of SOW
ereignty, but would retain such com
merclal advantage as she had acquired
The Japanese assert that the campaign
cost Japan $40,0O0,OOO.
During the military occupancy or
Islngtao there has been n considerable
Japanese immigration there. Japanese
individuals have purchased a great
deal OF real estate and are now carry
ing on large industrial operations.
Americans Make Complaint
There is criticism, and probably
considerable foundation for this criti
clsm exists, that the military rule in
hlaochau has been harsh and that it
mas been conducted with view to Jap
anese citizens obtaining specially IA
Voraole conditions. American missions
aries complain that their living condi-
tions, work and peacefulncss have
been lnterfered with, which would
seem to be probable, particularly in
view of the fact that the nature and
tone of their complaints would leave
no doubt even IN the minds of those
friendly to them that the missionaries
entertained anti-Japanese sympathies.
1T is charged that the Japanese treat
ment of the Chinese has been over
bearing and harsh; that they have
levied unfair taxes upon thcm that
they have made inroads on their moral
stamina by supplying them with NOR
phla. 1t is also charged that the jap
anese have operated the railroad in a
way that gave preference to the ship
ment Of Japanese goods and that the
policing of the railroads was carried
out with a greater number of troops
than the mere necessity of preserving
order warranted
The Chinese government agreed pos
sibly under undue pressure to the
transfer of all rights that had been
previously coded to the Germans in
Shantung, but as soon as the peace
conference convened the Chinese re-
coded from that position and demanded
that German rights should be returned
directly to China without first passing
to Japan. China has carried on an
active and bitter propaganda. Some of
her criticism of Japan was probably
warranted. Many of her criticisms
were undoubtedly unfair, exaggerated
or untrue while all of them were
made with little recognition of the fact
that China had specifically agreed to
Japan's entrance into Shantung and to
the transfer of German rights to
Japan.
In considering Americas attitude in
regard to the Shantung question it
should be kept in mind that the United
States is not party to the Treaty of
Versailles, is not a member of the
League of Nations and, while we have
have accepted few, if any, response
blitics.
Much has been made of the question
as to the time when Japan would carry
out her pledge of returning to China
all sovereign right acquired from Ger
many. The record is clear that last
January Japan notified China that she
was ready to return these sovereign
rights and asked for a conference at
which might be settled various matters
in regard to the railroads and other
commercial interests involved. China
has never replied to that request or
the several subsequent requests
The Japanese profess to feel sympa-
thetic with the Chinese government in
respect to this delay, because, they say,
the government is weak almost to
nudity and faces a public antagonism
TO Japan which makes it extremely
difficult for it to act in the matter and
continue to sustain even the slight
authority which it still has. Japan
feels keenly the lack of any central
Chinese government authority with
which it can effectively negotiate.
No Territorial Ambitions
In the general conference which we
had in Toxic and in subsequent CONVEX
stations with the highest government
officials we were given the most unre-
served assurance that Japan had no
territorial ambitions in Shantung; that
they were prepared promptly to sur
render to China all sovereign rights
obtained from Germany; that they stood