The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-31
SHANGHAI LETTER EXPLAINS SHANTUNG
Sokolsky Replies to Recent Article Which Appeared
 In The Age-Herald

"If it's in The Age-Herald it goes around the world
 The Age-Herald has just received a communication from George E. Sokolsky of Shanghai, China, manager of the China Bureau of Public Information, S-Il Ningpo Road. MT. Sokolsky replies to 2 recent article in The Age-Herald on tH< China-Japanese question as follows:
 To the Editor of The Age-Herald
 I have read in your Birmingham jour nal of March 21 an article on Japanese View of Shantung," which is taken from an article writer by Charles H. Sherrili in Scribner's.
 MT. Sherrin's defense of the robbery of Shantung by Japan 6h the ground that there are other robbers at large has no moral basis. Suppose we applied that to individuals. Suppose we said that Gyp the Blood was justified in taking a shot at a man because there are other murderers in town who might have done 1t if Gyp did not. Where would law and order be? MT. Sherrills suggestion that Japan was only living up to ar engagements which she had previousiy made with Great Britain. France and Italy, does not include the fact that she did not make arrangements with China But suppose they all had agreed to this proposition. Suppose the entire world had agreed to rob China, not only of Shantung, but of other territories? Would that agreement bind the United States? Has not the United States taken moral view of international relations? Has not the United States shown a greater respect for the rights of peo- ples?
 Japan does not want China for her Japanese surplus population. but for Chna's coal and iron, her natural re- couvcac har foractg and bar food stip- ply. JApan desires China because she wishes to have upon the mainland of Asia a great military force with which to dominate the entire world.~ Her pres ent activities in Siberia, in Korea, in Manchuria, in Fukien and in Shantung indicate that she has such a plan. The fact that she declines to tolerate any other nation assisting China, that Jap anese newspapers published in China all oppose MT. Lamont and the Consortum are evidences of Japan's desire for com plete and sole control of China Su% a control cannot but menace the United States.
 If Japan can use the coal and iron of China and the forests of Manehuria and Korea to build navy she can out strip the United States because the re- sources of the mainland of Asia are as great, if not greater, than the resources of the United States, and in America there is a pacific desire not to maintain a tremendous army and navys But there Is no impeachment to Japanese military aggressions either in Japan or in China save that of intellectual Chinese who are bitterly opposed to Japans aggressions.
 Most likely Mir. Sherrill means to be sincere. but he has taken very short sighted view of the situation. MT. Sher- Till did not visit China. He went to Japan, where he was feted. Under the spell of Japanese hospitality he con- ceived great friendship for Japan which clouded his eyes and dimmed his mind He is in the position of the Americans who previous to the war visited Germany and were welcomed by the professional of the Kaiser The day will como when friends of Japan will be regarded in America, as friends of