THE SHANTUNG PROBLEM.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 January 1922, Page 5

THE SHANTUNG PROBLEM.

AMERICA WANTS AGREEMENT. PRESIDENT MAY MEDIATE. Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received Jan. 11, 8.5 p.m. Washington, Jan. 10. White House let it be known to-day that it regarded a Shantung settlement as one of the greatest desiderata of the Conference. The executive has tried continuously to effect a settlement, though it has not yet been asked to mediate. It is considered likely that President Harding will be willing to act if requested by both sides. It is understood, that the Chinese and Jap* anese re-commence conferring regarding Shantung to-morrow. Referring to Far Eastern matters, the British spokesman pointed out that there were a mass of treaties, understandings and commercial contracts all indirectly affecting spheres of interest. China had been asked for a list of what wants altering therein, and how she foreshadowed the possibility of creating a commission dealing with all these documents and co-ordinating them before action could possibly be taken. — Special to Australian Press Assn.

A CRISIS IN CHINA. MORE PROGRESS BY DELEGATES. A HOPEFUL STATEMENT. Received Jan. 11, 10.5 p.m. Washington, Jan. 11. The Shantung question has precipated a real crisis in China. As cabled this morning, Liangshihli, the Chinese Premier, accepted the Japanese terms of settlement and cabled the delegation here to accept, and for this action General Wufu, on behalf of the Tuchun Central provinces, cabled Chinese diplomats, students and merchant *bodies throughout the world denouncing the Premier as a traitor, and calling on every patriotic citizen to strike down the traitor and save the nation, aliening that the Premier yielded to the pressure Tokio exercised through. Obata at Pekin. The Chinese here think it will mean civil war. The Chinese xdelegation, who throughout tried to keep outside the faction, deny that they received any different instructions from Pekin or that they had been ordered to yield to Japan, but nevertheless it is known that new instructions, the nature of which is not disclosed, reached them recently. Meanwhile a more hopeful note is struck here as regards the negotiations should they be undisturbed by outside influences. There are the best reasons to believe the Chinese and Japanese delegations have nearly arrived at an understanding which is likely to prove acceptable. The Chinese let it be known that to-morrow’s meeting is for the purpose of discussing collateral points, but should their views regarding control be met they will meet the Japanese on minor points, not specifying exactly what these are.