THE ULTIMATUM TO CHINA

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2457, 10 May 1915, Page 6

THE ULTIMATUM TO CHINA

' j EACH SIDE ANXIOUS FOR 1 SETTLEMENT JAPAN CRITICISED (By Telceraph.—Pxesß A£Socia,tlon.) London, Ma? 7. Reuter's agent at Peking states that Japan's ultimatum has been presented to China. ' 1 Tokio, May 7. I The Japanese ultimatum has been i presented. A reply lias been, domanded < within forty-eight hours. i REPORTED CONCESSIONS BY BOTH | SIDES i ( ANXIOUS TO AVOID RUPTURE. ] London, Ma; 7. j Router's agent at Peking states that . China has offered- to yield praotically ] everything except a few demands, con- ( cerning which sho is' making a proposal. Japan has further modified her original proposals, and instructed h«r Minister at Peking to renew his efforts to reach a solution of the trouble. London. May 7. Japan has offered to withdraw practically all the demands to which China still objects. Toklo, May 7. The newspaper "Nichi-Nichi-Shim-bun" says that China has intimated her desire to enter into an' arrangement ill order to avoid a rupture. JAPAN'S ACTION CRITICISED STRONG LANGUAGE BY THE ' ■ I 'DAILY NEWS." London, May 7. : The "Daily Nows," in a leading arti- I cle, says: "It is not easy to find a ' parallel for such demands by ono 1 Power to another as Japan has made upon China. In many respects Japan's demands are more stringent than Austria's were on Servia, which led to the European war. China has done nothing to merit such a penalty, and has offered ; no menace. She wanted only to enjoy her own liberties in her own way. If ' China was a military nation she would ; never have been thus challenged. She 1 has neither the will nor the power to take an irreconcilable course against a powerful neighbour. It would be grotesque to suggest that she is responsible for the crisis. It will be the last and most bitter tragedy of this war if one of its consequences is that an unoffending nation, whose independence and integrity the Anglo-Japanese Alliance guaranteed, can be despoiled by one of the signatories to the Alliance." AMERICAN PRESS COMMENT : JAPAN REMINDED OF TREATY OBLIGATIONS. (Rec: May 8, 5.55 p.m.) ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) London, May 8. America is anxiously awaiting developments in the Far East. There is a. feeling of disappointment over Sir . Edward Grey's recent statement which in described as "unsatisfactorily vague." The "Washington Post" accusos Britain of evasively conniving at Japanese duplicity, and says: "If China is reduced to vassalage, history will charge up against Britain one more act of perfidy. Practically nobody attempts to defend Japan." The New Y r ork "Times" advises Japan that if she is determined to encroach upon China, she had better first make an alliance with Germany, because the attacking of defenceless China would be to regard treaties as scraps of < paper. "She is adopting Prussian methods." The "New York Times" strongly emphasises the point that the future of Japan's relationship with the United States is largely dependent upon Japan's action. "It is not likely that Washington will take stringent steps oil behalf of China's integrity. The Administration's policy in Mexico tends to preclude such action. Americans might even welcome Japanese prc-oc-cupation with her interests in China, as that would tend to remove the pressure of Japanese ambitions on the Pacific coast, the_ demand • for naturalisation in the United States, and possible Japanese threats against the Monroe doctrine. But Japan would lose her title_ to be regarded as one of the lawabiding, honest nations. "Japan's present procedure in China, in the face of apparent treaty obligations, will array the entire Western World against her. If the Elder Statesmen in Japan are pledged to moderathey must act in no uncertain fashion if they wish to rescue the Japanese name in the United States from a great and lasting discredit, from which Japan's Allies cannot hope entirely to escape. It is expected that China will make a direct appeal to the Pcwers." THE QUESTIONS AT ISSUE. JAPAN OFFERS TO COMPROMISE. (Rec. May 9, 10.15 p.m.) London, May 8. Reuter's correspondent reports that the demands China is still resisting are known as "group five," which includes the questions of advisors, arms, land ownership, schools, hospitals,, railway concessions in Southern China, and also the questions relating to Fukien. These have been the main obstacle to a. settlement throughout. Japan now offers to withdraw group five, except Fukien, reserving them for future friendly discussions. - Router adds that-a compromise had been previously reached l about Fukien before tie deadlock developed. ULTIMATUM DELAYED. BRITAIN TAKES A HAND. (Rec. May 9, 10 a.m.) London, May 8. The "Morning Post's" correspondent ; at Shanghai states that Japan dolayed , presenting her ultimatum, owing to , British mediation. JAPANESE SQUADRON SAILS-' ! (Roc. May 9, midnight.) Toklo, May 8. The fleet is active. A second squadron has left Sasebo for an unknown destination. I A CONSULAR DENIAL JAPAN'S POSITION ABOVE-BOARD. ' (Rec. May 10, 0.15 a.m.) 1 Sydney, May 9. Speaking at the annual dinner of the Granville Brotherhood, the Japanese Consul said he desired to remove a J wrong impression which had been created by inaccurate reports of the Japan-China crisis. Negotiations natu- ) rally were confidential, and could not be r published from the housetops, but r everything was square and above-board. £ It was unjust to say Japan was adopting f similar tactics to Servia. Japan was aniious for peace. . _ V AN EXPLANATORYNOTE. 1 (Rec. May 10, 0.5 a.m.) Peking, May 8. The ultimatum was accompanied by o an explanatory note, in which Japan V portlier modified hat demands, and r&vi _

peated her offer to retrocede Kiao-chan on the conditions previously offered. Japan now asks for a Ion"; lease of land in South Manchuria, and also permission to undertake agricultural enterprises in Eastern and Inner Machuria. Sho insists on the settlement of her demands regarding the Yangtze railways' and Fukien.