Evening star., 1921-12-01
Official Statement Yesterday
From Far East Committee

| The official statement on yesterdays
meeting Of the arms conference COM
| mittee on far eastern affairs follows:
The committee on far eastern ana
| Pacific affairs met this morning, NO
tvember 30 1921, in the Pan-American
| building, Washington, D. c.. at IL
o'clock.
! All the delegates were present except
Ambassador Shidehera and Signor Meda.
/ Mr.. Hanihara for the japanese dele
cation presented the following state
| ments:
Japan's attitude in regard to the 1or-
egn garrisons in China:
The Japanese delegation wishes to
| explain, as succinctly as possible, why
and how the Japanese garrisons IN 'ari-
Gus parts Of China have come to be sta :
| toned there At the outset. however, l
desire to disclaim most emphaticaliy that
| Japan has ever entertained any aggres-
| sive purposes or any desire 10 encroach
| illegimately upon Chinese sovereignty
| in sending or maintaining tnese gam
sons in China.
% japanese railway guards are ac-
tually maintained along the South
Manchuria railway and the Snan'ung
railway.
guards, Japan believes that she mas on
more than one occasion made her posi-,
ton sufficiently clear. She has declared
and now reaffirms her intention OF with
drawing such guards as soon as CHINA
| shall have notified her tnat SlHess aS
police force has been duly organized
and is ready to take over the charge OIL
| the railway protection.
The maintenance of troops along
the South Manchura railway STANDS
on different footing. This is con-
ceded and recognized by China under
~
tional agreement, Art. I'D. 1t is
measure of absolute necessity under
the existing state of affairs IN Man
churia. a region which has been mace
4! notorious by the activity of mounted
bandits. Even in the presence OF Jap
anese troops, those bandits have made
repeated attempts to raid the railway
zone. In a large number of cases they
| have cut telegraph lines and commit
ted other acts of ravage. Their law
| less activity on an extended scale has
however. been effectively checked by
Japanese railway guards. and general
security has been maintained 1or
civilian residents in and around the
| railway zone. The efficiency OF such
guards will be made all the more Sig
nificant by comparison of the con-
ditions prevailing in the railway zone
with those prevailing in the districts
remote from the railway. The with
| drawal of railway guards from the
zone of the South Manchuria railway
will no doubt leave those districts
at the mercy of bandits. and the same
conditions of unrest will there pre-
vail as in remote corners Of Man
churia. In such situation 1t Is not
possible for Japan to forgo the right,
or rather the duty. Of maintaining
railway guards in Manchuria. whose
presence is duly recognized by treaty
Troops for Protection.
(2) Toward the end OF 1911 the
first revolution. broke out in China
and there was complete disorder in
| Hupeh district which formed the base
| of the revolutionary operations. AS
| the lives and property of foreigners
were exposed to danger. Japan, to-
| gether with Great Britain. Russia
| Germany and other principal powers
dispatched troops to Hankow for the
| protection of her people. This is how
a small number of troops have come
to be stationed at Hankow. The re.
| gion has since been the scene OF
! FREQUENT disturbances; there were
| recently a clash between the nortn
and south at Changsha, pillage by
| troops at Ichang and mutiny OF
soldiers at Hankow. Such conditions
of unrest have naturally retarded the
| withdrawal of Japanese troops from
| It has never been intended thai
these troops should remain perma.
| nently at Hankow, and the Japanese
government have been looking for
| ward to an early opportunity of ef-
fecting complete withdrawal Of the
| Hankow garrison. They must be as
| sured. however. that China will i'm.
| mediiately take effective measures fol
the maintenance of peace and order
and for the protection Of foreigners
and that she will fully assume the
responsibility for the damage thai
NAV be or may have been done to
foreigners.
Recognized by Chinese.
| "a, The stationing Of the garrisons
NJ foreign countries in north China Is
recognized by the Chinese government,
under the protocol relating to the
Boxer revolution of 1900. ProVidee
there is no objection from the other
countries concerned. Japan will be
ready, acting in unison with them. te
Withdraw her garrison as soon as the
actual conditions warrant 1t.
| 4) The Japanese troops scattered
along the lines Of the Chinese Eastern
railway have been stationed In con.
nection with an interallied agreement
concluded at vladivostok in 1919
Their duties are to establish communi
cation between the japanese contln
gents in Siberia and South Manchurfa
# goes without saying. therefore, thai
these troops will be withdrawn as soor
las fhe evacuation Of Siberia by tht
Japanese troops is effected.
Al the present time japan main
tains in China proper Approximately
$500 troops, located as follows:
Men
At Tientsin, two battalions. approIi-
mately A'Sy
Al Hanfow one battalion, approximately. 90
At Tsinan. two companies. approxi- =.
Along he Tsinan-Tsinstao railway and
msteiy ....................... 40
L -
Total A5o
Statement regarding the maintenance,
Of Japanese police IN Manucmrfa ant
the treaty ports Of China.
In considering the question Of Jap