Page:The A B C's of the Twenty-One Demands.djvu/16

 One of the outstanding inequities of these demands is the fact that they nowhere mention or allow anything in the way of a quid pro quo, or compensatory equivalent, to China for what she is asked to concede to Japan.

After the Chinese, contrary to the stern injunction of Japan, had informed the other Powers and the press of the presentation of the demands, diplomatic pressure and other factors induced Japan to moderate her demands, principally by the temporary abeyance of Group V. It is believed that British opposition to Article 5 of this Group, whereby Japan invaded the British "sphere" in the Yangtze, was influential in causing the Japanese Government to abate somewhat. The Chinese Government retarded the negotiations as long as it could, but was compelled to yield finally to an ultimatum delivered by Japan.

The Imperial Japanese Government hereby again offer their advice and hope that the Chinese Government, upon this advice, will give a satisfactory reply by six o'clock p. m. on the ninth day of May. It is hereby declared that if no satisfactory reply is received before or at the specified time the Imperial Japanese Government will take such steps as they may deem necessary.

Peking, May 7, 1915.

It is plain that the Chinese Government proceeds to the fullest extent of possible concession in view of the strong national sentiment manifested by the people throughout the whole period of the negotiations. All that the Chinese Government strove to maintain was China's plenary sovereignty, the treaty rights of foreign Powers in China, and