Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-10
The United States Looked to as an
Arbitrator.
NEGOTIATIONS BY GREAT BRITAIN
An Appeal Made to Minister Derby
by China.
FEELING ON BOTH SIDES


officials and diplomats OF Washington have
| participated lead them to believe that
peace between China and Japan will be
concluded ct an early day. China has at
last reluctantly, but very fully. admitted
that she has found herself wholly un-
prepared for war; Japan, on the other
hand, smilingly accepts this acknowledge
ment of her progress and awaits a detailed
| proposition as to how much China will
concede as basis of peace 1t remains to
| be seen whether Japan will demand too
much or China will yield too little, but the
inclination of both powers is so strongly
| toward getting together that ii is believed
the peace will be effected on the basis of
Corea's independence and q cash indemnity
for Japan's war expenditures. If, however.
Japan urges her demands to the extent of
cession of part of Chinas territory the
present prospect is that China will not
humble her pride to this extent, but will
continue TO prosecute the war best she
can, relying on the bitter winter now at
hand to give her temporary respite and
defense. ---.
Great Britain's Negotiations.
The foregoing briefly summarizes the sit
uation as it is viewed by officials here who
have recently had most TO do with the SUBJ
Ject At the outset Great Britain sought
TO have the United States and the great
powers of Europe intervene. The facts as
to these negotiations at Washington have
not until now been made known. Cable
directions from the London foreign office
first came to Mr.. Goschen, the British
charge d'affaires in the absence of Sir
Julian Pauncefote.
Mr.. Goschen was at the time at his sum-
ner home at New London, Conn The SUBJ
lect was too important to be committed 10
the mail, so that Mr. Goschen took the first
train for Washington. He arrived Septem-
ber % and remained two days. He raw
Secretary Gresham in person and present.
ed Great Britain's proposition that
the United States cooperate with other
foreign powers toward peace. A reply was
Gully given that this country would not CO.
operate, on the ground, II is said that the
policy Of the United States was to avoid
entangling foreign alliances On questions in
which 1t had no immediate concern. Since
that time no efforts on the part of Great
Britain to urge the negotiations have been
| made, SO far as is known. Under these cir
cunstances the present negotiations DO not
involve foreign Intervention, but a mutual
arrangement between China and Jupan TO
which foreign powers Will give their moral
support. 1t makes little difference there
fore, what the Intel States or other pow
ers may do, SO long as China and Japan
come together, although both Powers seem
to be anxious TO have the cooperation OF
this country and others in their negotia-
tions.
To what extent the Chinese minister here
has directed the negotiations is not exactly
known, as the legation officials are very
secretive. 1t is known, however, that the
Chinese minister mad 4 long conference with
Secretary Gresham yesterday morning. This
was one of several conferences held within
the. last ten days. 1t is said, however, that
the main proposition on the part of China
came direct from United States Minister
DENLY at Pekin.
Wants the United States to Arbitrate.
From the very beginning of hostilities the
Chinese have been anxious to have the
United St ties arbitrate the differences be-
tween themselves and the japanese which
led to the war, but of course there could be
no arbitration except upon the request of
both parties, and that was lacking. But
after the battle of kiu-lien-chang, on Octo-
ber 25 last, when the Chinese suffered their
severe defeat at the hands of the japanese
troops who had crossed the Yalu river, and
were obliged to retreat toward Moukden,
they became thoroughly alarmed and con-
vinced that something must be done to ter
inmate the war. They could not. however,
SO humble their pride as to sue for peace
directly to Japan. but, casting about for
some means OF opening peace negotiations,
hit upon the treaty with the United States
of 1S4S. The very first article of this treaty
pledges the United States, in case China Is
oppressively o. unjustly treated by another
power, to use It's good offices to arrange
the difficulty. 1t is similar in scope to the
first article In our treaty with Corea, which
led Secretary Gresham at the beginning Of
the trouble to write ;be note TO United
States Minister Dun at Toxic relative to the
Japanese occupation of Corea, which has
excited so much comment.
An Appeal to Minister Denby.
Encouraged by the attitude Of the United
States at that time, the Chinese govern
ment, as indicated by the cable dispa tches
from China at the time appealed to United
States Minister DENLY at Peking to cause
his government to intervene, and Mr.. DENLY
transmitted the application to Washington.
where ii was laid before the President who
has had it under consideration for a week
or more. As our representations in the case
of the occupation of Corea had little effect,
there was no reason to suppose that DIFF
ferent result would follow attempt to
use our good offices i'm favor of China AS
already Indicated our government was in
disposed to cooperate directly with Euro
pean nations in any effort to coerce either
party to the war, and for this very reason
we were in a better place than any other
power to act as an independent intermediary
in bringing about peace. Both China and
Japan were assured that We were free from
any of the suspicion of a desire to secure
accessions of territory In Asia which hung
over the great European powers, ana their
confidence in our fairness and impartiality
was strikingly manifested by the selection
of the United States by both nations to
care for their subjects in the others Ter
ritory.
Looked TO by Both as an Arbitrator.
So the United States Is at present placed
in a position where she would naturally be
locked to by both China and Japan to
serve as an arbitrator In case OF a diff
Guilty In arranging terms of peace. and IL
Is, therefore, very improbable that We VIII
forfeit this position by yielding now to
China's request to intervene. Arbitrate we
nav but intervene we cannot, is the man
ner in which the situation Is summarized
i'm official circles here. If the Chinese gov
ernmert desires the United States to pre-
sent peace proposals to Japan this may be
done through Minister DENLY, but 1t Is
felt here that the better way would be for
China to submit her proposals directly to
Japan, when II would be entirely within
the bounds of propriety for the United
States to express the qualification IL would
feel, as a nation friendly to both COM
batants, to see peace restored on honorable
terms.
What state Department officials Say.
An official of the State Department con-
versant with the Chinese attitude says:
China no longer conceals her inability to
prosecute a war; She recognizes that she
was caught unprepared, and that IL is the
part of wisdom for her to make the most
of a bad situation by getting peace on thG