JAPAN’S SECRET TREATIES

Waikato Times, Volume 91, Issue 14136, 13 August 1919, Page 5

JAPAN’S SECRET TREATIES

BRITISH RETICENCE.

MR LANSING NOT INFORMED

JAPANESE AMBITION,

(Reuter’s Telegrams.) Received August 12, 5.5 p.m

WASHINGTON, August 11ia the’ .Senate Air Robert Lansing, gtearcUpy o/ State, reiterated .that Viscomt. IshH, iphie Turner Japanese Antbaaxulur,. Tailei 1 to teWi him that Japan had secret, treat. ! es wiUhi the Allies for the dlvts-lan of O.hinese territory captured from the Germans. Mr Balfour and Lord; Reading k ad alst? .kept silent about Britain's- set ret treaty with Japan. He knew run thing ef these secret agreements fill .February, 1919, and did not know whether Viscount Isiiii had deliberately concealed/ the secret treaties. Mr Lansing added 4 that he did know three 1 years ago that Brill an and Japan had- agreed to divide the Pacific islands-; taken front -Germany. Regarding the Lansing—-Ishit agreement, Mr Lansing, stated that he suggested to Viscount Ishii that it would be well for the two Governments to rc-alllrm the open-door policy for China on the grounds that reports were being spread 1 that Japan proposed to take advantage of the war conditions to spread 'her influence in China. Viscount Ishii thought that Japan’s special interest in China should he recognised and Mr Lansing replied that the United States recognised that her geographical position gave her peculiar interest in China, butt that the danger of pulling it in any agreement was that it might be misconstrued. Therefore he objected to it, and he also told Viscount Ishii that if special interest meant paramount interest he could not discuss the matter further. WASHINGTON, August 11. Mr Wilson, replying to Uxe Senate’s resolutions, said he did not know of any Japo-German treaty during the war. Though he had heard rumours tie had no information that the Japa- * nese delegates in Paris attempted to intimidate the Chinese peace representatives.