Evening star., 1922-01-15
Peking Delegation Signalizes
Intention to Press for
Action on 21 Points.
SITUATION STILL TEKLISH
IN FAR EAST DISCUSSION
Next Plenary Session Still in Doubt.
Siberian Railway Question
to- Come Up.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.


to hold the spotlight in the WASH
ington conference this week. This,
notwithstanding the fact that the
conference hopes to conclude its
labors of the naval limitation treaty
within the next few days. 1t is well
understood that the chief elements
of the naval treaty have been agreed
to, and have been made public.
The efforts of the Chinese to OBJ
tain a return of the former German
leased territory in Shantung and the
Shantung railroad, on terms salts
factory to China, will continue in
the negotiations which, they have
been conducting for weeks with the
Japanese delegates. They will hold
their twenty-seventh meeting tomor-
row morning to discuss the Shan
tung problem.
VIII Press Treaty subject.
signalizing her intention to press
tion of the Chino-Japanese treaty of
1915, and the twenty-one demands of
Japan, upon which the treaty is based.
a statement emanated last night
from the Chinese delegation. 1t was
made by DIR. Chung-Hui Wang. one
of the delegates.
ct is inconceivable said the Chi
nese delegate. that. while China had,
even under the menace Of the ulti-
matum (of Japan of 1915, the cour-
age to protest against the demands
she would remain silent now when
she is a participant in a conference
the ayowed object of which is to re-
move international misunderstood
tnes relating to the far east"
Open Door Policy Denied.
Or. Wang argued that the, con-.
cessions wrung from China in the
twenty-one demands, as embodied in
the 1915 treaty. constitute the most
positive kind of spheres Of influence
or of interest and consequently an
absolute denial of the open door
policy. He added that "the demands.
or the rights granted to Japan under
the demands. would. if allowed to
stand, create for the Japanese
status totally inconsistent with the
terms of the existing treaties be-
tween China and the foreign powers
and those subsisting between the
foreign powers themselves. Indeed.
they would give the japanese such
a privileged position that no equal
opportunity is possible"
Because these demands put into
jeopardy the rights and interests en-
joyed by the foreign powers having
treaty relations. with China, DR..
Wang said, the United States. during
the negotiations in 1915. mot only
declared that she would not surrender
any of her treaty rights in China,
but also formally protested against
their possible Infringement
Reduce China to vassal.
Read in their true light" he con-
tinued, "the twenty-one demands
practically reduce China to the posi-
tion of a vassal state, depriving her
of the right of self elf-development and
self-preservation. According to the
demands, China is required to build
her railways in her own territory
only with Japan's consent; China is
required to give up her mines. coal,
gold and iron, 40 that they can be
operated by Japanese and with
not to build dockyards or other
shipping equipments in one of her
own provinces (Kukien); China is
required not to borrow foreign capital
other than Japanese for the develop
ment of the biggest ironworks in the
country (Hanyehping); China is re-
ouired to extend the lease of Fort
Arthur and Talienwan and the terms
of the South Manchurian railway and
the Antung-Mukden railway to
ninety years
eft Is needless to say that these
conditions, unless removed or re-
nounced, will place China in a posi-
tion where self-development and self
preservation become practical i'm
possibility"
Entered Into a. Sovereign Power.
So much for the argument presented
by the Chinese that the Washington
conference should consider the twen-
ty-one demands. On the other hand,
It IL pointed out that the tSino-Jap-
anese treaty Of 1915. whether OBJ
tanned under duress or not (and 1t
was) was entered into by China as a
sovereign power and as such should
be lived up to by her and that her
remedy, II one is required. lies In me-
gotiations directly with Japan.
However. If the treaty violates the
treaty rights Of the other nations as
eembled at this conference, there is
nothing In International law which
would prevent their discussing the
matter with Japan and C.ina. and
there. would be an opportunity to en-
ter into these discussions in Washing
ton, while all are represented here.
The United States. it Is true. els the
only one Of the other nations which
has . protest against the twenty-one
dtmands on record. at least publicly.
This protest addressed, TO- both. China
(Continued on Page 3. Column 81