The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1921-07-28
SIX PACIFIC ISSUES TO DECIDE
FATE OF DISARMAMENT MEET
Yap, shantung and the
Open Door Among
Them
By HARRY HUNT

tory adjustment OF halt a dozen
Ear East Problems"
Only with these major issues
amicably adjusted, would tAe lrrl-
tants that might ultimately lead to
clash Of arms be removed. And
then oily could the nations involved
agree to a considerable reduction
of armaments-at least cessation
of building new armanents-with.
out feeling that safety was being
jeopardized.
These problems are:
l. Mandates under the League
of Nations. particularly that Of
Yam.
2. shantung.
3. The Open Door in China.
4. The territorial integrity Of
China.
5. The territorial integrity OF
Asiatic Russia.
6. Communications.
Once an agreement on these Is
reached, the matter OF getting 10.
gether on cutting down the size OF
armies and navies will be easy. But
this first necessary agreement, Of
ficials recognize, will not be easy,
That. rather than any actual dis.
armament compact, will be the big
step toward peace, II 1t is achieved,
o. S. Protest
Yap and shantung. Japan, has
indicated, she holds to have been
disposed Of by the Treaty of Yer
sallies.
Tho United States. however, on
the basis that she, as one Of thu
principal allied and ass ,ciated pow.
ers, even though not a member Of
the League OF Nations was entitled
to a voice in the disrllbutIon of the
former German islaus in the Ia.
ciflc, has protested the granting Of
special rights IN Zap to japan. Be.
cause Of Yap's jmpOrsnnce us a Pa.
cific cable center, this country has
insisted that 1t be Internat;opallzed
and equal rights assured to all.
With respect to shantung. nc
official stand has been taken, al.
though many senators have attack.
ed the bestowing upon Japan Of the
German rights in that peninsula
The Unbiased view, however has
been that any dispute over sover.
eighty in shantung should be the
matter Of negotiation between
China and Japan.
There is indicated a considerable
desire in several quarters that the
Yap and shantung question be elm
mate in avance OF the Washington
conference. That, 1t Is recognized
would greatly simplify questions
before the conference. This gov.
ernment will not, however, concede
that the Treaty OF Versailles-ir
the absence of any acquesence By
this country-could dispose Of Yar
The case has been stated so plainly
that Japan has no illusions as tc
the basis on which our claimt
stand, and the vigor with which
they will be presented.
China's Stand
AS to Shantung, Japan has con.
tended that title to the former Ger,
man rights in China TO be disposed
OF at TIE Versailles conference
China refused to sign the treaty
because OF the Shantung provision
The Open Door in China ant
China's territorial integrity are, O
course. old questions, They are thu
ones in which the real statesman
ship Of the members OF the con
ference may best be displayed. Oh
them depends whether China is Il
become an Independent nation, a.
whether the special interests
which virtually render China i'm
potent and helpless are to continue
their hold. In this is involved th.
abolition Of all extra-territorIa
jurisdiction, the control Of mari
time customs by the British, tn,
French control Of the Chinese post
office and the Lansing-1shlI agree
ment recognizing Japan's "specia
interests" in China. These are in
finite ramifications.
The question OF the territoria
integrity Of Aslatic Russia viii
bring to the front Japan's occu
patton Of the Maritime Provinces
Of eastern Siberia and OF sakaIir
Island. where Japan is operattnt
extensive fisheries. Japanese colon
ization In Manchuria and her occu
pancy Of vladvostok are also in
volved.
Cable Problem 49,.
In the matter OF communication
the whole question OF a friendly
equitable relationship in the estab
fishing and maintenance of wire
less and cable stations. will be de
veloped. This will bring In the de
velopment Of Yap as an interna
tional> cable distributing center
and the interests Of The Neither
lands, which now control import
ant cable links in the Western Pa
clfic,
Both Belgium and Holland, il
addition to the six powers primar
lily involved in the conference, viii
be permitted to make representa-
tlons in connection with the Fal
East questions. 7
Belgium has extensive interestl
fa HkfHR T1a1~ta- A.Afk.Y