SHANTUNG PROVINCE.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XI, Issue 53, 16 February 1921, Page 5

SHANTUNG PROVINCE.

JAPANESE PENETRATION. CHICAGO “ TRIBUNE’S” ALLEGATIONS. New York, Feb. 14. The Chicago 11 Tribune’s” Shanghai correspondent states it appears that Japan is steadily consolidating her position at Shantung, despite assurances that her troops would be withdrawn and Tsingtao would be returned to China. Incidents indicating her ambition to concert the province into Japanese territory and infringement of China’s sovereignty arc practically of daily occurrence. The Japanese administration at Tsingtao forbids Chinese to establish schools, religious societies, newspapers or similar public organisa tions. Japanese companies are minting Chinese copper coins of lighter weight than the standard, which they are circulating not only in Shantung but other parts of the country. The most serious charge, however, is that the Japanese are arming Chinese bandits, who prey on the native population of Shantung, robbing them of their few possessions loft them with which to struggle against •famine. The Japanese population at Tsinenfu claim that the Chinese police are incapable of providing necessary protection and demand the right to organise their own force, one part of which is already patrolling the city. Moro than 3000 Japanese troops arc now stationed along the TsinenfuTsingtao railway. They often destroy the crops where they drill, without compensation.—(A. and N.Z.)