The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.) 1904-1977, 1920-09-30
CHINA TRUSTED
u. S. And LOST
Put Faith in America at Paris Peace
Conference and Thru Secret Con-
tract by Wilson. Shantung
Was Grabbed.

Marion, o.. Sept 21.-Developing
his attack on the peace treaty from
another quarter, Senator Harding
charged in front porch speech today
that President Wilson's peace COM
mission at Versailles broke faith with
China thru contract secretly made
when they consented to the award of
Shantung province to Japan.
China, the nominee said, put her
interests in the hands Of Americans.
but found INSTEAD of being awarded
the freedom of her own people, sew
eral millions of her people were de-
livered to a rival nation with the con-
sent and approval of those who spoke
for America at Paris"
For America First and Last.
In his speech delivered to delega-
ton representing the Loyal Order
OF the Golden Heart, the senator as
sailed the league covenant and de-
clared the United States never would
enter an international concord at the
expense of its own independence.
Tonight, Senator Harding replied to
the telegram of Franklin D. Roosevelt,
the Democratic nominee for vice.
president, who wired saying he had
been misquoted by the senator in re-
gard TO American participation in the
affairs of Haiti, Senator Harding's
telegram follows:
4Your telegram stating that /
quoted in speech September IL
statement which you had already
publicly denied, is received. am
frank to say | had not seen and have
not yet seen such denial, but / accept
your statement in good faith and ex-
press regret that / should have
quoted you. | am sincerely sorry
for any implied misrepresentation
Of you for any other candidate, even
though the error was wholly unin-
territorial.
Harding in Courteous Apology.
This does not in any way abate my
opinion of the policy of your admins
tration in dealing with Haiti and San
Domingo, but | do want to express
regret for the quoting Of statement
you disavow. Because / am devoted
to truth and courtesy, an asking
the news associations and newspaper
correspondents to carry this telegram
as conspicuously as they did the quo
tation."
Drawing parallel between frater-
nal organizations and international
relationships, Senator Harding said
that no association, whether between
individuals or nations, should require
the surrender of basic principles and
convictions.
Il recall many an obligation that
have come in contact with in secret or
ders," he said, "and there isn't one
that ever asked a man to surrender
any of his liberties, any of his free
dom Of thought, any of his freedom
Of religious belief, and making the
application of that point | want to
apply it to nations.
Can Aid Others Without League.
Just now we are talking about
associations of the nations of the
world. We of America gave first
the finest illustration of fraternity Of
nations. Some twenty years ago
there broke out in China what is
known as the boxer rebellion. 1t be-
came necessary to send military
expedition to the relief of the be-
leaguered citizens. The sum presuHi-
ably necessary to pay the United
States for the protection of its citi-
zens later was assessed againsa China.
But when we came to cast up the ac-
counts we found China had paid 8 mil
lion dollars more than was necessary
TO reeompense us for our military en-
deavors and the United States return
ed that money to China.
ttffhuf .e ,xrf,xr Nbtro x.fax,+~ .+-
in the example, in the democracy, in
the justice Of the United States Of
America"
China Was Peace Victim.
An interesting aftermath resulted
in the peace conference in Paris.
China went into the war at our re-
quest, and when the war settlement
came about China sought to be re-
presented at the peace conference and
they ought to have been represented.
For some reason or other they were
net. Then they said, we viii trust
the United States of America to re-
present us. with confidence in that
great republic And yet. somehow,
thru contract secretly made, China
had no voice in the settlement. and.
instead of being awarded the free
dom Of her own people, under the Cos
pei of self determination for which
America spoke. several million of her
people were delivered over to rival
nation. with the consent and approval
of those who spoke for America in
Paris.
But when the covenant came into
the United States senate | rejoice that /
there were Americans in the United |
States who said, mo" we did not an !
prove of the Shantung award. And
we kept that light and faith in the
lesson we taught China some twenty |
years apo.''