New-York tribune., 1921-12-09
Japanese Notified Appeal
Will Be Taken to Con-
ference Unless They
Act Within Three Days
Railroad Control
Held Main Issue
Action Said to Have Been
Based on Specific In
struction From Pckine
BY Thomas Steep


served on the Japanese delegates by
China to-day that if the direct nego-
tiations in the controversy over Shan
tung are not expedited, with view to
the immediate and the unconditional
surrender of the province. the Chinese
delegates will withdraw and place re-
sponsibility for a settlement on the full
armament conference. 1t is understood
that three-day time limit was set
by the Chinese delegates for bringing
up the question of the Shantung Rail
way, which is said now to give Japan
political and economic control of the
whole province
So far Japan has agreed to sur
render to China every Japanese inter
est in Shantung except the railway.
She has agreed to abandon her ninety
nine-year leasehold on the District of
kiaochau, to restore the port of Tsing-
tao to the Chinese maritime customs
and to give up all the preferential
trade rights which she seized from
Germany in 1914. But she insists that
the 285 miles of railroad running from
the port to Tsnan, the capital, shall
remain under so per cent Japanese ad-
ministration. This, the Chinese dele
gates contend, would be wholly un-
acceptable to China. They assert they
will conclude no settlement not based
en- a surrender free of conditions.
Peking Government Irritated
The situation was described tonight
as "full of dynamite" Complaints have
been cabled from the Peking govern
ment, asserting that Japan, while yield :
ing on minor points, has persistently
deferred action on the main issue,
which is the railroad. The Chinese
people are said to be holding mass
meetings to protest. against 'sdirect
negotiations and to demand that
Shantung, the most densely populated
Of their domain, be returned to them
without further parley.
The Peking government, stirred by
public opinion at home, has sent i'm
perative orders, it was learned, either
that Japan be required to give her final
Chinese delegates break off direct ne
gotiations. DIR. Alfred SEE, head of the
Chinese delegation, said that pressure
from China was becoming acute be-
cause of the fear of the Chinese people
that Shantung "might go the same way
it did at Versailles" He indicated that
if the issue is not reached by next
Monday something would happen
From other sources it was learned
that the Chinese delegates have been
more than once on the brink of break
ing off negotiations. At the earnest
request Of Masanao Haniha-a, the Jap
anese Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs
the questions in Shantung other than
though Dr. SEE and his colleagues
argued that if the railroad was dis
posed of all the other issues would
solve themselves.
Conference Action Opposed
Secretary Hughes and Arthur ]. Bal.
four, of the British delegation, are op.
posed to having the shantung contro-
versy considered by the full confer
ence. Their position is that if it coulc
be settled by direct negotiations the
results might be reported to the con.
ference and made part of the record
This would remove the appearance Of
the conferences having undertaken tt
review the provisions Of the Versailles
Treaty which gave Shantung to Japan
None of the American delegates woulc
indicate what would be their attitude
if the direct negotiations failed. Al
any rate, it would not affect the stand
ing Of the Chinese delegates at the con
ference. They would simply report s
disagreement and ask that Shantung be
considered under one Of the ten Chi
nese demands.
The fact that the communique from
the direct negotiations to-day merely
mentioned briefly that the de1epate
in the presence of the British ane
American observers" had met and ad
journed was taken to indicate that nc
decision was in sight.
Mean time, in the conference com
mittee considering Pacific and Fal
Eastern questions China gained an
other of her demands. On the plea o.
DR.. Wellington Koo that in the pas
! China had suffered from secret treatie:
regarding spheres of influence in hel
! CONTINUED on next pags)