Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-04-18
CHAPTER XXxVII
(Continued)
A Difficult Position

ut was not only this wire en-
tanglement of treaties which Mr.
Wilson found in his advance, but il
must be said, in all frankness, that
in opposing Japan's demands for eco
nomic privileges and a"sphere Of in
fluence" in China, he was also op
posing principle which every othel
strong nation at the conference be
lieved in and acted upon, if not il
China, then elsewhere in the world
Japan asserted that she was only
asking for the rights already con
coded to other nations. Japan wa
thus in very strong position in in
sisting upon her claims, and China
in a very weak position.
Gin this crisis Mr.. Wilson wa
face to face with difficult alterna
tives. If we stood stiffly for i'm
mediate justice to China, he woult
have to force Great Britain an
France to break their pledged wore
with Japan. Even if he succeeded
in doing this, he still would hav'
had to face the probability, practi
cally, that Japan would Withdraw
from the conference and go home
This would not only keep Japan OH
of the league, but it would go ia
toward eventually disrupting tn
peace conference, already shaken b.
the withdrawal Of Italy and thu
dangerous detection Of Belgium.
"Such a weakening Of the peac
conference and Of the alliance Of tn
great powers would have the imme
dite effect Of encouraging the Ger
mans not to sign the treaty and o
holding off in the hope that tn
forces Of industrial unrest thel
spreading all over Europe nigh
overwhelm France or Italy. I
would also have a highly irritating
effect upon all the bolshevist ele
ments in Europe-increasing unceH
tainty, and the spread Of anarchica
conditions. With Japan out of tn
association of western nations Their
was also the possibility, voiced jus
at this time in both France and Brit
ish newspapers, that ST.. would be
gin building up alliances Of her ow'
in the east-possibly with German
and Russia. Indeed, If the trut,
were told, this was. probably the mos
important consideration of all i
shaping the final decision.
cit was the plain issue between tn
recrudescence, in new and NOR
dangerous form, of the old syster
Of military alliances and balances c
power, and the new system Of worl
organization in a League Of Nations
It was the militaristic Prussian ide
against the American Wilsonia
idea.
Treaty Only a Step
"No statesman probably ever ha
a more difficult problem presente
| to him than did Mr.. Wilson upo
the momentous 10th of April, 1911
At that moment three things seen
ed of extreme Importance If an.
thing was to be saved out Of tt
wreckage Of the world. The fir
was a speedy peace, so that me
| everywhere might return to tt
work of production and reconstru
ton and the avenues Of trade e.
erywhere be opened. Peace an
work! The second was Of supren
Importance keeping the great allie
firmly welded together to steady
world which was threatened wit
anarchy. It was absolutely nece
sary to keep a going concern in TT
world! The third was to perpetual
| this world organization in a Leagl
| of Nations: this the most importal
| Of all, for it had reference to tt
avalanche of new problems whic
were just ahead.
eff the conference were broke
up, or even if Italy remained OF
and Japan went out, these thing
would be impossible. On the 9TH
hand, If the allies could be kel
firmly together, peace establishe
and a League Of Nations brohgl
into being, there was a chance
going forward with world recol
gtruction on the broadcast lines, al
of the full realization of the primo
pies of Justice laid down in I'll
| armistice terms and accepted by g
nations. The treaty, after all, Is
final settlement; it Is only one ste
in the great process Of world r
construction.
eft was with all these consider
tions in view that the Shantung sc
Element was made by the council
three sitting in the presidents hou
in the Place des Etats Unis-wit
the Japanese in full agreement.
"This settlement was in two part
the first set forth in the treaty
self, and the second special agre
ment of the three great powers wit
Japan. I find that this fact is n
clear to many people, who look Fl
the entire settlement in the trea
itself.
"Under sections 1856, 1877 and 1
of the treaty all the rights Of Kia
Chau and in Shantung province fc
merly belonging to Germany a.
transferred without reservation
Japan. This conforms broadly wi
the various treaties, and gives
proud nation what 1t considered
full rights.
ION the other hand, the Japane
delegates at the conference. on b
half of their government. made
voluntary agreement, "to hand bat
the Shantung peninsula in full so
ereignty to China, retaining only Il
economic privileges granted to &c
many and the right to establish
settlement under the usual conc
tons at Tsingtso."