The New York herald., 1921-12-02
Toxic Correspondent Goes
Into History to Uphold
Japan's Stand.
CITES ACTION IN WAR
President Wilson Said to Have
Written Draft of Agreement
on Peninsula.
BY X. X. KAwAKAMI.

By X. X. KAwAKAMI.
Special Correspondent of the Jill
Shimpo, Toxic.
Special Despatch to THE New YonK HERALD
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington, ID. c., Dec. l.
The world uttered a sigh of relief
last evening when it was known that
the Shantung question would be set
tied through the good offices of the
American Government. Just as Presi-
dent Roosevelt and Secretary Root
reconciled Russia and Japan at the
! historic conference at Portsmouth In
1905, President Harding and Secretary
Hughes will put an end to the Shan
tung controversy in a manner salts
factory to the two nations concerned.
To set the history of the Shantung
controversy straight In the public
mind we must harken back to the
reace conference at Paris Before the
Powers at the conference agreed to
hand over to Japan German rights in
Shantung, President Wilson, Mr.. Lloyd
George, M. Clemenceau and Baron
Maxine had frequent conferences.
As the result OF these conferences and
at the suggestion Of Mr. Wilson and the
British and French representatives
Baron Maxine. tine sS9enese delegate. on
May 4. 1919. issued tho following state
ment TO the press. thus announcing to
I a..
retained In shantung would be purely
economic:
"In an interview with representatives
of Reuter- ASSOCIATED Press or Havas)
Baron Maxine wishes 10 make clear. BY
way OF explanation Of Japan's position
in reference to Shantung questions. that
the policy OF Japan IL TO hand hack the
Shantung peninsula In fun sovereignty
to China. retaining only those economic
privileges granted 20 Germany and the
right to establish a settlemers under
the usual conditions al Tsi..~tao. Re-
gardlng the railway. whirs "a 90 become
! Chino-Japanese under Joint undertake
ing. the Baron further stated that the
owners os The railway Will use special
police only 70 insure security for traffic.
that they VIII be used for no other pur-
pose ard fret fhc police force will be
COMPOSED % chinese. and such Japanese
lnstructcfs ~ the directors OF the rail-
way rnay seIec, vii be appointed by the
Chlness Government"
Drafted by Wilson, Is Report.
m was rumored IN Paris at that time
I ths4 tire above statement was drafted
bv Mr. Wilson himself. In pursuance
"a TIE pledge contained therein Japan,
sH coon as the peace treaty came into
snect IN January. 1920. invited China to
enter into negotiations to agree upon
aetaiis which had to be settled In order
tn restore Kiau ChoY to China and to
withdraw troops from along the railway.
China did not accept this overture on
me ground that she had not signed the
Z Versailles treaty of peace. Japan. anx-
lous 20 settle the matter amicably. re-
/ peatcd the above overture at various
I lines. but China preferred TO defer set
/ iiesnent OF the question for various rea-
sons.
That the Chinese Government has for
some time been we'll disposed to the idea
/ OF opening negotiation at Washington
I was clearly indicated by a few press
/ despatches from Pekin which were ap-
| parently inspired. It has been known
\ in we'll informed quarters that as far
as the Chinese Government was con-
cerned Il was more than willing to settle
the Shantung question by direct negotia-
ton with Japan. especially after Japan
offered terms Ear more favorable to
China than were agreed upon In the
TDat fc .N
conference Japan has made substantial
concessions in favor of China. forfeiting
many of the rights formerly enjoyed by
Germany.
AS for China's contention that the
leased territory of Kiau Chow. naturally
reverted to Chinese sovereignty when
she declared war upon Germany in
August, 1917 no one takes II serious
Iv. To ALL intents and purposes Kiau
Chow. though nominally a leased terri
tory. was ceded to Germany.
international LAW Quoted.
II IA evident that sovereignty TO that
territory was ceded TO Germany. In
the accepted theory Of international law
a mere declaration of war Is not enough
to restore n ceded territory to the ma
tion from which II was taken. To estab-
Ilsh her claim TO Iliau Chow China
should have not only declared war but
should have taken II from Germany by
force OF arms.
But China was neither capable nor
willing to drive Germany from Kinu
Chow. Japen had TO undertake that
task From the beginning of the world
war In August. 1914. to August 1911
China remained a neutral spectator. For
almost two years after japan dislodged
Germany from Shantung In the fan OF
1914 China afforded shelter and hospi-
tality to Germans Austrian and Ger
man ships were safely nnoored at Shang'
hal Austrian and German flags loated
on its uuays. Had China been actively
engaged on the part Of the allies II fs
conceivable that there might have beer
scme force in the plea that she preferred
to resume the German rights for herself
But China never did this Japan and
Britain attacked and took the German
colony
China's hope for direct restitution OF
KIau Chow by Germany was totally de-
stroyed when on May 20. 1920. the Ber-
lin Government notified PelSin that by
virtue Of the Versailles treaty Germany
had renounced In favor OF Japan all
rights and interests Formerly enjoyed
by her under the Chlno-German agree
rnent and that she was no longer capable
Of restoring them direct 10 China. China
was plainly told by Germany that she
must negotiate with Japan IL she want