§ Mr. N. MACLEANasked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been directed to the proposal coming from an influential section of public opinion in Japan that the Shantung question should be referred to the League of Nations; whether Japanese civil administrators and Japanese troops are still in control of extensive areas outside the leased territory in the Shantung province, and in particular of the Shantung railway to Tsinan-fau; whether the British Government has received any communications from the Chinese Government regarding the matter; and whether, in view of the importance of preserving peace in the Far East, the British Ambassador in Japan will be instructed to urge upon the Japanese Government the advantages that would arise from the immediate restoration to China of those portions of the province of Shantung which were not controlled by Germany prior to the outbreak of war?
Mr. HARMSWORTHThe answer to the first part of the question is that His Majesty's Government are not aware of any such proposal coming from an2166W influential section of public opinion in Japan. With regard to the second part, His Majesty's Government understand that there is a civil administrator at Tsingtao and a number of Japanese troops along the Shantung railway to Tsinan-fu and at Poshan Mine. The answer to the third part is in the negative, and, with regard to the fourth part, His Majesty's Government are fully alive to the advantages which would arise from a settlement of the Shantung question, and will not fail to take such steps to that end as are suitable and proper.