JAPAN AND CHINA.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 53, 3 March 1919, Page 5

JAPAN AND CHINA.

THE GERMAN CONCESSIONS. HELD BY RIGHT OF CONQUEST. ACCUSATIONS AGAINST CHINA. NEW YORK. March 2. The Washington correspondent of the New York "Times" says that a statement, given out from an unimpeachable Japanese authority, says that the Chinese peace delegates are falsely accusing Japan of injustice towards China. By threatening to publish secret documents between China and Japan, with the purpose of their cancellation by the Peace Congress, China ia ignoring the inviolability of international contracts. It was Germany's violation of an international treaty guaranteeing Belgium's neutrality which drove Britain into the war. If the treaty of 1916 were declared void, it would not change Japan's position towards China. Japan, by right of conquest, is entitled to remain in the Shantung Peninsula during the period for which Kaiu-Chau was leased to Germany, unless Japan is willing to renounce her belligerent righs. China contends that the 1916 treaty was concluded under duress. The fact is, most of China's foreign treaties were thus concluded. The Chinese delegates are acting contrary to the interests of the world's peace and of their own country. A cable received from Shanghai states that the Japanese Government has notified the Chinese Government that unless China complies with the provisions of the Japanese-Chinese Treaty regarding the Japanese acquisition of Germany's commercial rights in China, the Japanese Government will be obliged to deal with the matter by force. Dispatches from Marseilles state that the Marquis Saionji, head of the Japanese peace delegation, said in an interview that Japan desired to see the League of Nations organised for the purpose of assuring a higher form of civilisation in practice as well as in theory. Japan's policy towards China must be fair treatment and co-operation in the highest meaning of the term. The Korean Independence Committee has appealed to the United States asking for intercession at the Peace Conference against Japanese domination.— (A. and X.Z. Cable.) AMERICAN APPROVAL. (Received 11.20 a.m.) NEW YORK, March 2. The New York "Times" Washington correspondent says that in order to force the Peace Conference to recognise Japan's claims for special privileges in China, the Japanese delegation will read the Viscount Ishii-Lansing treaty of 1017 before the conference'" citing the United States' approval of recognition of these privileges. Japan will point out that failure of the United States to object to the privileges after the opening of the Peace Conference invalidates nny objections made thereafter.--(A. anil N.Z. Cable.)