The New York herald., 1921-12-24
HOMELAND DISPUTE
AMUSES JAPANESE
Some Serious Patriots Seem
to Regard Protection
as AffrOnt.
rs BENEATH DIGNITY
Declare Japan Is Able to
Take Care Of Her Own
Mainland.
CONCERN OVER SHANTUNG
Mikado's Subjects Inclined to
Appraise That as Outstand-
ing Problem.
is BENEATH DIGNITY
CONCERN OVER SHANTUNG
BY IL. X. KAwAKAMI.

-
BY IL. *. kAWAkAMI.
Special Correspondent Of The Jiji-
Shintpo, Toxic.
Special Dispatch to THE Nsw York HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington. ID. c.. Dec. 23.
A mingled feeling of indifference,
amusement and curiosity prevails
among the Japanese here whether
Japan proper comes within the scope
Of Articles I. and III. OF the four Power
treaty, a question which has bios
soned forth into animated discussion
in other quarters. Ask Baron kato,
Ambassador Shidehara or Mr.. Hani-
hara about it and you set smile and
a few jesting remarks. All Of which
show that they are not thinking about
it seriously.
The more serious minded patriots
from the Mikado's empire are in
clined to take 1t as an affront to
Japan's dignity that the treaty should
be interpreted as obligating the other
contracting parties to extend even a
moral assistance to the safeguarding
Of the integrity of japan proper
Quite properly they think that Japan
can take care of herself as far as the
protection of her main islands Is con-
cerncd, and that no outsider need
worry about it.
Act a 1fvSN
question to-day is the Shantung Rail-
way question, which has brought the
Sino- Ja panese conversations to an I'M
passe. The Japanese delegation is con-
vinced that 1t has made every possible
concession ts China. going down even
beyond the authority allowed by the
home Government. Its position is made
more difficult by the unco,npromising
attitude assumed by the public at home.
which believes Japan's terms or settle
ment sent 70 China on September were
tho irreducble minimum.
Delegates Receive Protests.
The Japanese delegates are receiving
cablegrans reporting newspaper cdi'
torials vigorously protesting agains'
making any further concession TO China
| Some newspapers think that II wouio
]
| good Offices of Secretary Hugncs and Mr.
Balfour and insist upon the terms pre-
sented to China In September. Others
! assert that those terms are most gen
erous and should be accepted by tn,
| Chinese delegation without modification
| All agree that Japan has given UP IL
| favor Of China everything except a ha.
share In the Shantung Railway and the
mines appurtenant thereto. and that thi'
last vestige Of Japanese interest should
be maintained by all means.
Now, the Japanese delegates. aSains'
the popular will at home. have offered tt
waive even half share in the line ant
| transfer absolute ownership to Chinu
All they ask is the usual privilege o
supervision accorded to foreign capital
lists financing Chinese railways. More
over. their terms OF loan are far NOR
liberal than those of other railway loan
In China.
Japanese Proposal.
The Japanese proposal provides Tor |
twenty year loan, with an option fc
China TO redeem II at the end OF tel
wears. Compare this with other railwa.
loans. The British loan for Canton
Kowioon Railway is for thirty years: tn
Arglo-Cerman loan for the Tientsin
Pukow line, thirty years: the Beftis'
loan for Shonghai-Ningpo line, t1irt'
years. British. American. German
French loan tor Hankow-Canton line
forty years: Belgian loan for III
Lungtsing-Uhai Railway, forty years
British loan for Pukow-Sinyang road
forty years; British loan for Shanghai
kan -Newchang line. forty-five years
Again. the Japanese proposal provide
for the appointment by the Chinese Gov
ernment Of three railway experts. q chic
engineer, an accountant and o trafi
manager. to be recommended by tn
Japanese capitalists. Compare this pre-
posaI with the terms required by huan
ciers Of other countries interested 4
Chinese railways.
In ali the agreements the proceeds q
the loans, as we'll as the receipts of tn
railways, arc deposited not with ar
} Chinese bank but with the corporation
or banks which finance the roads. Thes
corporations and banks also enjoy tn
privilege OF supplying the railroads wilt
materials required for their constructio
and operation. The financial contr-
obtained by foreign capitalists ovsr tt
Chinese railroads seems to be just;ie
by the present unfortunate conditions I
China.