Evening star., 1922-12-27
Japan Sets Praiseworthy Example
in International Dealings.


When Japan gave Shantung back to
China. as a year ago it agreed to do.
"it shocked the cynics speeches. and
administered an effective tonic to m
ternational good WILL as one writer
sums up the general reaction. TO that
the Duluth Herald independently adds
that "a perfectly good campaign issue
has been exploded" While sympathy
with the Herald's viewpoint is natu-
rally colored by the attitude OF indl-
vidual papers toward 1.-The crime OF
Shantung" it is felt by all American
editors that Japan has given splen-
did proof of good faith and has set
an example in international fairness
which. as the Charleston CIV. Na)
Mail Gndependent-repub says,
earns for her "a place among the
civilized nations today. and 1t is not
the hipdmost place, either. IN lacI.
some other nations can well mark
the fidelity to pledge exhibited by the
Japanese and take note of an honora-
BILE example.
"The Toxic government has kept it's
word" and 1.-The Shantung question IS
closed" the Philadelphia Evening
Public Ledger Gndependent) an,
nounces, and skeptics and cynics Will
have to make the best of it. even
| though, as the Lafayette journal anu
Courier pendent-republlcan) re.
marks, cit upsets the calculations OF
those eminent statesmen who were SO
sure that Japan would never keep
her promise" Thus. in the interpre-
tation given by the Memphis COM
mercial Appeal (democratic) another
one of the objections to the Versailles
document is shown to be nothing but
. nf
heated political imaginations."
"It must be conceded" however. the
Brooklyn Eagle Gndependent- demo. !.
| cratic) insists. that suspicion of
Japan had some justification, Her
record had not been inspiring. and
the Chicago News GndependenD
thinks it not unlikely that despite
the vague pledge given at Paris, the
old school of diplomacy in Japan had
it's mental reservations and hoped
troll. payment for improvements by
practically bankrupt Chinese treas,
ury. trade and other concessions and
the like, might result in giving the
Toxic government permanent posses
sion of shantuns s;n, Now; IN nctnow1s g3o,n1E
edges that in presuminE to
make overtures for permanent pos
session Of Shantung it had taken an
untenable position" the Indianapolis
News independently suggests. ana IN
the transfer Of the disputed leasehold
the Oklahoma City Oklahoman (demo-
cratic) sees the settlement of "one
/! of the most irritating problems OF
the orient" and "a step toward per-
manent peace in that section OF the
world"
In a brief outline of "momentous
events" centering about the Shan
tune peninsula that have materially
affected the far east and the whole
world during the last twenty-four
years" the Newark News dndepend-
"In 1898 Germany seized Kiaochau,
the eastern end of the Shantung
peninsula, as indemnity for the kill
ing of two missionaries in China. In
1914 Japan took the leased territory
after three months OF warfare
was left in control Of this land figura-
lively flowing with milk and honey.
The Japanese occupied cities they had
not builded. They reaped harvests of
precious metals where they had not
sown."
Record independent democratic), not
unsympathetic to Japan's claim, "the
risk and the expense of recovery were
left to japan, and when Germany was
hors de combat China asserted its
right of recovery with all the i'm
movements GeFWdHy anu Jdpdu udu
made" and now, with Japan's' recog-
milton Of the claim. China RECEIVERS
Shantung at the cost of only few
million dollars for the railways and
official buildings" thus negotiating,
the paper thinks. "one of the most
successful operations in real estate
e OF the wisdom of returning the
nroyince to "China's weak hands" at
q time when the oriental republic is
fchtink dissension, political trickery
and banditry, much doubt is express
ed by some American editors. Shan
tung goes back to China" in any
event. the New York Times dnde-
pendent democratic) says, whether
CHINA knows what to do with 1t or
not" divided against itself! unable
to exert either military or diplomatic
nressure," as the New York World
ldemocratic) puts it, the evacuation,
the Richmond Times Dispatch (demo-
cratic) suspects, may not prove IAN Inn
mediate blessing to China, nor imply
as great an exercise Of sovereignty
as might be supposed" for "bandltry
lust now is one Of the foremost Chi
i,e.;e industries, and its nilitancy In
The province of Shantung is striking
~ menacing Indeed. the good friends
r.. y t<.f