New-York tribune., 1921-12-02
Chino-Japanese
Agreement ON
Shantung Near
Continued from page ons)

/ tain it as an open port, but disapproved
or making that a condition.
Japan is wiling to give up Kiaochau,
the district which includcs Tsirstao,
but wants the Shantung Railway, ex-
tending 255 miles into the rear of
Shantung to Tsingan, the capital of
the province, to remain under a Joint
Japanese Chinese management. China
wants the railway turned over entirely
to Chinese management, but is willing
to compensate for Japanese investment.
Japan is willing to withdraw 2,IO0
troops which she has stationed along
the railroad to protect property.
In substance China S plea for the un-
conditional surrender of the part of
the province occupied by the Japanese
IS based on the argument that the
Chlnese people regard Shantung, with
It's $4,000 square miles, its 10000, 900
inhabitants and its historical and re-
hg1ous associations, as the very heart
" China. and of more concern to the
Chinese than Manchuria or Mongolia
Before to-day's session was ended
method of procedure for delving into
the whole Shantung question, begin
nlng tomorrow, was devised DR.. koo,
Or. Alfred SEE and Dr. Wang Chung
hui sat on one side of Il big table in
the conference room of the Pan-Amer-
lcan Building. Opposite them appeared
Prince Tokugawa, Baron Kato and NJ
Hanlhara for Japan,
Tense silence prevailed until Mr.
Hughes, acting as observer" for the
United States, and Mr.. Balfour, acting
IN the same capacity for Great Britain,
introduced" the delegates from the
contending countries. They had been
introduced before and had talked fire.
quentIy about affairs at the plenary
session of the armament conference.
but diplomatic etiquette required that
the members Of each side should be
introduced" before a discussion of
this controversy.
Hughes and Balfour Withdraw
Both Mr.. Balfour and Mr.. Hughes
made brief speeches, expressing the
hope that satisfactory settlement
would be concluded without delay
ciated the proffer Of the good Offices Of
America and Great Britain. DR.. SEE
extended thanks on behalf of the
Chinese Republic. Then Mr.. Hughes
and Mr.. Balfour withdrew
But they left "observersn to act in
their places. 1t was the expressed wish
OF both Japan and China that their
delegates be not left alone during any
part of the negotiations. Consequently.
each country 1t will be their duty to
be present during all the negotiations
For America the observers will be
Edward Bell, adviser of the American
Embassy at Toxic, and John V. A. Mac
Murray, chief Of the division of Far
eastern Affairs of the State De-
partment and an authority on Chinese
treaties. Great Britain will have for
observers Sir John Jordan and Miles
Lampson, who arc experienced in the
British service in the Orient
Many knotty questions are involved
in the Shantung controversy No
Chinese problem before the conference
stands detached. Each embraces others
For instance, the Chinese demand for
the application of the territorial in
tegrity policy throughout her domain
developed the question of the with
drawal of foreign troops. The with
drawal of foreign troops developed the
issue Of Shantung, where Japan has
several garrsons. Shantung developed
the treaties based on the twenty-one
demands which Japan made on China
in 1917 and the demands involve the
Lansing -lshii agreement by which the
United States recognized Especial IN
terests' Of Japan obtained under the
demands
Secret Negotiations Charged
Bearing on these ranlfications the
Chinese delegates issued to-day
statement explaining how other coun-
tries were concerned in Shantungs
fnte. The Chinese delegates declare
that after Japan seized Tsingtao from
! Germany the latter's ninety -nine-year
leasehold was Cancelled automatically
and it ought to have reverted back to
China, and that Japan, knowing her
hold on Shantung under the demands
could not be considered final pro
ceeded to make secret arrangements 8
with the European powers to confirm
her title"
Thus. in 1917, before China's en-
trance into the war; says the Chinese
explanation, Great Britain acceded
with pleasure to the request of the
Japanese government for an assurance
that they Will support Japan's claims
in regard to the disposal Of Germany's s
rights IN Shantung and possessions in
islands north of the Equator on the
occasion of peace conference Similar
promises were obtained from Russia,
France and Italy. 1t was largely be-
cause of these secret arrangements
that Shantung and the German rights
in the province were handed over to
japan at the peace conference at
"It is thus apparent that the So
called Shantung question to-day is not
the same one of the ora-European war
days. 1t was originally question be-
tween China on the one side and Japan
and the other powers on the other.
1t is question which does not con-
Germ China and Japan alone, but also
all the other powers. particularly those
who took part in the Versailles set
tlement.'
MANY attempts and overtures have
since been made by the Japanese gov
ernment to open direct negotiation
with the Chinese government for the
return of Shantung, but they have
proved to be failures. The most OBJ
jectionable feature of Japan's latest
proposal is the insistence of making
the Shantung Railway Chino-Japan-
ese joint enterprise and the indefinite
unds rtaking to return the German pub
lie properties in Kiaochu and Tsingtau