, JAP ASSURANCE ABSOLUTE The fact that 16,119 tons of steel rails were exported irom this country to "Japanese "Jap-anese China" during the fiscal year ended end-ed June 30, last, is an air tight indication that Japan considers .President Wilson's assurances give her a copper riveted hold on Shantung. That little item appearing in the monthly summary of the foreign commerce of the United States for June, issued by Brother Redfield's department, tells more than aU the apologists for Mr. Wilson can explain away, for no country goes into the business of laying rails in stolen territory unless it has a very definite def-inite idea of remaining permanently in occupation of that territory. And what makes this little item replete with "portents "por-tents of impending doom" for Shantung, is the fact that of this tonnage, 12,115 tons, or 75 per cent of the total were shipped out of this country in the single month of June, for it was along in the spring of this year that the Japanese got the wink from Mr. Wilson at the peace conference, came forward in support of the league of nations which he was nurs"-ing, nurs"-ing, and delivered the quid of their signature signa-ture for the quo of his approval of the Shantung outrage. Now, 16,119 tons of steel rails, if they are of the prevailing 80-pound 80-pound type, will string nearly 130 miles of railroad track, and it is a pretty safe bet that Shantung has .been shackled with it by this time. Does anyone think Japan is going to pull out of Shantung the day after the treaty is signed? No. Nor the century af ter, until it is so nominated in ' the bond. Japan is in Shantung to stay, until compelled to relinquish, and ,np league of nations will put her out because with three of the "Big Five," she has the promise of support written in secret treaties, trea-ties, and one of the "Big Five," the United Unit-ed States of America, has been the victim of misplaced confidence by reason of Mr. Wilson's act. The sole way in which this country can cleanse itself it to repudiate of its presumptous agent.