The Washington herald., 1921-12-01
SHANTUNC issue
TO BE DISCUSSED
OUTSIDE PARLEY
Japan and China Agree
To Try and Settle
Own Question.
Continued from PAGE One.

by the Japanese government. (S) an
international concession might be
established. II the foreign powers
should so desire it. and (4) finaiiy,
the disposal of public properties or
Germany was satisfactorily ar
ranged.
In this connection il Is import
ant to remember that. according
to Article V of the lease conven-
tion Of March 6, 1898. Germany en-
gagged not to transfer the territory
to another power. Although IL was
nowhere stipulated in the said con-
vention. IL can be taken for granted
that China's obligation in the mat
ter was not to transfer the lease
to Japan or any other power with
out the consent of Germany. An
other thing that we should bear in
mind is that these understandings
were entered into on the assump-
tion that China was 10 remain a
neutral country throughout the
war.
China's Break with Berlin.
This was not to be the case, for
on March II. 1917, the diplomatic
relations between China and Ger
many were severed. and the sever
ance of diplomatic relations was
followed by declaration of war by
China, August IA, 1917. The for
eign representatives in Peking
were. on the very same day. noti-
fed of China's action and told that
"all treaties OF whatever nature
between China and Germany (and
between China and Austria Hun
gary) are abrogated, as also all
provisions of the protocol of Sep
TEMPER Z, 1901. and other similar
international agreements in so far
as they concern only China and
Germany land China and Austria
Hungary.
In other words, China's declara-
ton of war upon Germany abro-
gated the lease convention of March
., 1888, and upon the abrogation of
the lease the territory and the
jurisdictional rights over it re-
verted back to China. The ar
rangement which China and Japan
mad formerly entered into as a re-
SUIT OF the twenty-one demands IN
1918 was thus vitiated by the ap-
rogation of the lease. under which
germany had enjoyed all her rights
ana concessions in Shantung 1t is
important to bear in mind that this
question OF abrogation has been
tne pivotal, point of dispute be-
tween the Chinese and Japanese
governments on the Shantung ques-
lon. The Chinese government has
insisted that the lease convention
was abrogated by the declaration
or war upon Germany, and the
Japanese government has insisted
that China's declaration of war
could not dispossess Japan of the
kiao-chow leased territory, which
was then already under her mill |
tary occupation, thus leaving no
common ground to negotiate.
Japan's Pact With Other Powers.
Knowing full we'll that the un-
uerstanding reached with China
ABOUT the Shantung question as a
result or the twenty-one demands |
IN 1918 could not be final, Japan
proceeded to make secret arrange
ments with the European powers to |
connrm her title. Thus. on Febru-
ary l6, 1917 tbefore China's en-
trance into the wary Great Britain |
acceded with pleasure to the re-
VI the Japanese government |
Tor an assurance that they will |
support Japan's claims in regard |
to the disposal Of Germany's rights |
In Shantung, and possessions in |
Stands north of the equator on |
the occasion of peace conference"
Similar promises were obtained |
from Russia on February 20, from
France on March 1, and from Italy |
on March %. 1t was largely be-
cause of these secret arrangements |
that Shantung and the German |
rights In the province were handed |
over to Japan by the Big Three"
at the peace conference at ver-
sailles.
1t Is thus apparent that the So
called Shantung question today is |
not the same one Of the pre-Eu-
ropean war days. 1t was originaI>
~ . question between China on the |
'ne side and Japan and the other
powers on the other 1t Is a ques-
lton which does not only concern
China and Japan alone, but also all
the other powers-particularl
hose who took part In the Yer.
Istllss setusrnsnt"