AUSTRALIA AND JAPANESE CLAIMS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIII, Issue 76, 31 March 1919, Page 5

AUSTRALIA AND JAPANESE CLAIMS

(Australian k N.Z. Cable Association) < PARIS, March 24.

Referring to discussions of Japanese claims, Mr Keith Murdoch (Australasian Press Association representative) states that General Smuts (a leading British authority on International Law) pointed out that his proposed -amendment was very' moderate, but Air Hughes (Australia) and Mr Massey (New Zealand) took the point .that a diplomatic empty phrase should not be inserted in the League pf Nations, and urged that the question should now be definitely decided. Moreover, though the Japanese representatives assured the Dominions' representatives that Japan did not intmja to, go further, the Dominions’ representatives out that some new Government in Japan would be able under the proposed amendment to bring up all racial questions at a meeting of the League of Nations. Japan’s action in leaving in abeyance her amendment to the League of Na-,-tions covenant was doubtless due to inability to secure British support. The Japanese left no stone unturned to secure sympathetic interest in their proposal. They believed that President Wilson would not be disinclined •to accept recognition of it while the British delegation was sympathetically disposed. There was a suggestion that the latter should, after hearing the Japanese View;, consider the matter, but Air Hughes demurred, preferring to tell the Japanese frankly to their faces that under no circumstances conld he be a party a granting their demand at this conference. The Japanese then decided to take another opportunity of pressing their claim, either before the League drafting committee or when the covenant comes’ before the plenary sitting of uie Peace Conference.