TERMS OF THE SECRET TREATY.

Marlborough Express, Volume LIII, Issue 274, 21 November 1919, Page 6

TERMS OF THE SECRET TREATY.

It was with the power of a plenipotentiary that Chiang Chung-Hsaang acted when he concluded this Ijreaity. By its terms the German holdings in Shantung, and in particular the railway concessions wero given to Japan. When Dr. ivoo and Dr. Wang, pro<teisting against the twenty-one demands contended that they had been signed under • threat, of war, the Japanese produced the Tokio Treaty, of the existence of which they wera ignorant. "When this treaty was produced," Mr Kung- said, "it closed the mouths of all of China's delegates, and none of them knevy exactly' what to do. When tha Chinese delegates learned that the decision >on Shantung had been reachodl the smaller nations protested, and the Chines© took vigorous action. At a conference a delegate asked who had mado the decision. Soeaking for the Big Five, M. Clemenceau answered 'We did it/ When, he was asked how the Big Fivo could decidfe a question like that, he replied saying;, 'We have suffered maro than others.'

"We'trusted Mr Wilson entirely too much. We sent a Note to President Wilson asking him how he could reconcile assurances he had given to China before she had entered the war with the decision.. Ho senti a representative to us expressing his sorrow, and he suggested that he wculdi help us when the League of Nations was .formed.

"When the conference was concluded the Chinese divided on -tins question whether to sign the Treaty with Germany. It was tho students and Chinese statesmen in Paris who .swayed those who were disposed to sign. '* On the morning of the diay set for the signing of the Treaty, after China had been refused the right of signing reservations, crowds of students patrolled in front of tho hotel of Lv Ohem-Hsiang, our-chief delegate, who had been suffering ill-health and was again confovd. to his bed. Tho question of signing had. not been decided when the delegate gathered: in his room. He wasi asked for the iasit time if he wc.uld consent to sign, and be replied with tears streaming from his eyes: 'I signed the 21 demands. Can I, must \ also sign this?' It was the only answer he gave, and the delegates understood. This is why when the Conferenaa was called to order the seats of the Chinese were raoant.