Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-13
THE PROPOSED ARBITRATION
A Serious Diplomatic Complication in the
Japan-Chinese Affair.
European Powers Suspect That Sec
bitfOn az Regards China.

upon a serious phase. The information in
the best-informed diplomatic circles is that
the European powers, which have threat
ened armed intervention for purposes of
their own, are not pleased at the voluntary
ard unsolicited offer of arbitration the
part of the Unit ID Safes and are disposed
to insist that they should participate in any
arbitration that may be attempted, mas
much as their several inte are vastly
greater than those of the United States.
On the other hand, it Is known that, while
Japan Is not eager to have the United
States as an arbitrator, and is not anxious
for arbitration, now that 1t seems probable
that the only subject to be arbitrated will
be on what terms the Chinese government
will capitulate to Japan; and while, more
over, japan feels that the United States,
or. at least, the Secretary of State. Is more
friendly disposed toward China than toward
Japan, yet the Japanese government, if
compelled to choose between the unsolicited
Intervention of the United States as arbi-
traitor. and the armed intervention of the
European powers, would accept the PROPOSE
tion which the United States has, at least
indirectly, rendered.
MIR. Grcshnm's Object.
There IS one feature of this situation
which is much talked about by the
diplomats at the clubs and at the
legations. 1t is, that Secretary Gres-
ham, from the beginning of his admin
istration, has manifested desire to make
the extension of the commercial relations
between the United States and China the
central feature of the policy of the State
Department for this administration, as Mr..
Blaine made the reciprocity treaties a fea-
ture of his administration of that depart
ment.
Secretary Gresham has said this to many
h.ah
to have been that, by treaty, he could
provide for specially advantageous condi-
tions for the United States to the com
merce of China, and build up a great, and
possibly, exclusive trade This has been
the special ambition of the State Depart
ment, if the information of many members
of the diplomatic corps If not at fault. 1t
is entirely in accordance with this theory
that Secretary Gresham should have che
reputation in diplomatic Giro les here of ne
ing on terms of special intimacy with the
Chinese embassy. This has at different
times attracted the attention of the repre-
sentatives of other powers.
A Statement That Gave OTcnsc.
The fact is recalled that, some months
since, at the end of a diplomatic note, from
the State Department to the Japanese gov
ernment, there was a statement which
gave offense to the Japanese government,
and which was regarded in diplomatic
quarters as an unfriendly comment. The
State Department at first denied that any
such sentences were contained In the COM
munication to the japanese government;
but it was subsequently discovered that
they were there, and the japanese govern
ment was informed that no offense was in
tended. The representatives of the Jap
aneSe government in this city are too skill
ed in diplomacy, and have too great inter-
ests at stake, to permit the friendly rela-
tions between the United States and their
government to be disturbed because of
misunderstanding, and the semi-apology of
the State Department was accepted and
the undiplomatic phrase was regarded as
an inadvertence. AT the time member OF
the Japanese embassy stated that. while ii
was an unfriendly act for the government
of the United States to express opinions
to the policy of a government with which
1t Is at peace, he also said. Japan has
interests too great with this government TO
permit itself to be diverted from It's pur-
pose by that incident" But this incident
was not forgotten.
How Japan Feels.
There is no secret in diplomatic circles
that the Japanese governmnet is of opinion
that the government of the United States
has been more friendly to China than it
has to Japan in the pending conflict. al
though 1t is not claimed that the United
States has committed an overt act,'' of
which diplomatic notice could be taken.
The surrender of the young Japanese by
one of our consuls In China to the Chinese
authorities was not regarded by the Japan
ese government required by International
law, and the fact that they We're imme-
diately beheaded as spies created a very un-
favorable impression In Japan
Not Eager to Accept the OGcr Of Me-
diatiOn.
For these and other reasons not mention
ed here the Japanese government has rot
been eager to accept an offer of the media
ton Oh the part of the United States, which
was not solicited by the Japanese govern
ment and Of which 1t knew nothing until
the indirect tender was made. The Japan
ese authorities believe that the tender of
arbitration by the United States was sug-
gested by China. The fact that the Chinese
government at once accepted the offer is
regarded as greatly Strengthening this
opinion. Japan has hesitated to accept for
reasons, some of which have been here
indicated, and for the further reason that,
If not prevented by the armed Intervention
OF the European powers. the Japanese au-
thorities believe that their government can
dictate terms to China, and that the only
matter to settle will soon be the terms of
surrender. But the government of Japan is
menaced by European armed intervention,
and for this reason 1t Is now expected that
Japan may accept the offer of the United
States.