The daily times., 1921-09-14
WE'RE INTERESTED
IN NEGOTIATIONS
ON IN THE ORIENT
SHANTUNG QUESTION
America Did Not Favor the
Settlement of This Question
in the Versailles Conference,
Now We Are Free to Inter
pose Our Influence in the
Present Discussion.
SHANTUNG QUESTION
(By David Lawrence)
Copyright, 1921, by The Daily


Times).
Washington, Sept 13-The Uni !
ted States government is taking a
deep interest in the negotiations be-
tween China and Japan over the
Shantung question. There is even
chance that the good Offices of this
government, or at any rate, its in
fluence will be exerted to bring about
settlement though it is not yet clear
whether the initiative taken by the
whether the initiative taken by the
japanese was for the purpose of be-
,, ginning a parley that would merge
| into the larger conference at Wash
ington in November or whether it was
an effort to put the Chinese in the
position before the world of refusing
a settlement.
| Japan has professed her anxiety on
many occasions to reach a settlement
with China but the latter, having re
fused to sign the Versailles treaty,
declines to enter into negotiations
which have as their basis a confirma-
tion of the action of the Paris peace
conference in awarding Japan GER
tain rights in Shantung. The United
States did not favor the Shantung
settlement in the Versailles confer
ence and the Harding Administration
having failed to ratify the Versailles
pact is free to interpose it's influence
flor a settlement between China and
Japan on a disinterested and unpre-
ijudiced basis.
The larger aspects of the move
on the part of Japan in formally pro-
posing at this time settlement with
China have appealed to the Washing
ton authorities. 1t is the most signi-
lficant step that has been taken since
: President Harding issued his invita-.
tions for a discussion of Far Eastern
questions in connection with disarm
: ament. The Chinese are quite ready
to assume that Japan would prefer
a settlement before the Washington
conference begins. This looks i'm
Ipossib1e because Far Eastern diplo
macy is of the slow and procras
tinating kind. On the other hand, tn,
Japanese might try to persuade tn,
; Washington conference to keep hand
. off while the matter between Japal
\. and China were settled directly
:, China on the other hand is eager 70
!, the support of the outside world an,
oil %1a - I@
:. when an agreement is reached s.
!, that Great Britain, France, Italy, an,
> the United States will be morally re
tsponsible for the fulfilment by Japal
of the promises she makes.
The Japanese accepted America
: invitation to a conference with tn
specific proviso that "accomplishe
!, facts" would not be discussed. Thi
was generally taken to mean tha
:. Japan would not permit the Shan
, tung issue to come before the othe
powers. Now, however, her negotia
: tions with China have reopened tn
question and there is good reason t
believe that Japan realized the futi
ity of trying to exclude the Shantun
y controversy from the Washington co
= ference when she herself had mad
II no progress toward a direct settle
IF ment with China.
= The currents of Japanese diplC
ST macy are always difficult to analyz
N because of the physical distance {
tho JaDaneSe goyernment from Eur(
al pean and American capitals but bi
20 business in Japan has been urging
settlement with China so that CON
mercial enterprises which the Japa1
ese have in mind may be deve1ope
Y without delay. The consortium agree
,t ment reached between Japan and tn
IN United States and other powers hs
1v little effectiveness if political rels