The New York herald., 1922-01-21
SENA TIE MEDDLING IN ISSUE
OVER SHANTUNG is CHOKED

| Slderatlon IN connection with the con-
ference. If China and Japan can
reach an agreement, he said. the other
Powers can come in and ratify il.
II think one of the things that are
delaying final action" he said, "by the
conference right now is the hope that
the Shantung question can be settled
and ratified. The settlementof it would
have very favorable effect on the
other treaties. both in the country and
in the Senate. 1t would be very un-
fortunate if the conference were TO
adjourn without settlement of the
Shantung problem. The American
delegates are doing all that they prop
erN can to bring about such a settle
ment."
Senator Lodge in indorsing the
statements of his conference associate
pointed out that substantial progress
had been made in dealing with other
problems affecting China. He said
these results would be of administra-
tive and political advantage to China
and would be embodied in 81 treaty
that will come before the Senate for
ratification. The Massachusetts Sena-
Il do not suppose that all of the de-
tails of the negotiations between China
and Japan have yet been laid before
the President. l can only assure the
Senator from Montana that the Amer
lean delegation feels that there is
nothing that the American people
have more at heart than the settle
ment of the Shantung question We
have been taking the only course open
to us to try to bring about a solution
Of the problem
rs the one insuperable obstacle to
consideration by the conference of
treaty." asked Senator Hiram John
son.
InsuperabIe Obstacle.
"The insuperable obstacle to taking
the Shantung question before the con-
ference replied Senator Lodge, lis
the fact that seven of the Powers arc
already bound by the settlement at
Versailles. Nothing could be done
about It If 1t went before the confer
ence."
Does that apply to every determi-
ration that may have been made in
the Versailles treaty-that the con-
ference cannot consider anything that
was agreed upon at Versailles?" asked
Mr.. Johnson.
"Oh, that has not been suggested at
ALL" answered Senator Lodge. "As a
matter of fact this is the only ques-
ton where they are bound"
They are only bound if they want
to be- was the terse rejoinder of Sem
ator Johnson.
81 take it," said Senator Lodge.
that the seven Powers who signed
the Versailles treaty would hesitate to
renouncc their act il Japan appealed
to them to stand by it,"
DO these Powers take the attitude
that they can do nothing unless Japan
agrees asked Senator Johnson, "or
is that the attitude OF our delegates ?"
II Eave assumed" replied Senator
Lodge. that if the Shantung matter
was brought into u plenary session OF
the conference, that would be the. end
Of it,"
'In the light of what has transpired
since the execution OF the Versailles |
treaty" said Senator Johnson with
some sarcasm, ''and because of the !
admitted wrong that was done to
China by. that instrument. perhaps
the signatory Powers would not raise
the objection which the Senator sug-
gests'
Senator King (Utah), Democrat. |
contended that the Shantung contro-
versy could be taken before the |
League Of Nations and adjusted there. |
Suppose it were before the League |
OF Nations demanded Senator Borah, |
"how much better off would the Chi /
nese be? The signatory Powers could |
not act there any more tEan they can
act now"
Senator Brandesee Comm. Repub-
lican, raised the point that neither a |
seven Power treaty over China nor |
any similar agreement could be modi- |
fed except by unanimous agreement
of the parties that signed ~.