Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-27
IN DIPLOMATIC CIRCLES
Anxiety as to This Governments Attitude
in Case of Interference in Africa.
Ii Has Been So ExpIaiaed That For
efgn Representatives Can
Understand.

There is considerable anxiety In dfnIo-
matte circles concerning the attitude of lhe
United states in case of any Interference
On the part of other powers with respe, II
" the British TransVaal war. The policy
oA Ills government is not such as to demand
an aVoWal OF purpose in advance of deyel-
opments requiring action. This government
VIII not, 1t is said, make an avowaI on a
hypothetical case, but the way is left
plainly open to the inference of foreign
powers Some diplomatic efforts are being
made to get closer down to what the in
tentions of the United States are and what
course would be followed should intervea-
ton on the part of any of the powers he
attempted. 1t is said that no direct re-
sponse has been made to such fnauirles
and yet the representatives are nol left
any excuse for misunderstanding our attl-
tude.
This Governments Attitude
The attitude of Great Britain toward the
suggestions of Intervention by other powers
in our war with Spain may be accepted as
having counterpart in our attitude should
a similar move be made at this time with
respect to the Transvaal
1t is well understood that the fear of
Great Britain and the danger of all ths
powers becoming involved in a war pre-
vented Intervention when Spain was in dis
tress. There would be no less danger of
serious international complications should
| intervention be undertaken Ia the Trans
vaal without the approval of the United
States. As far as is known it was not nee
essary for Great Britain TO make any
threats nor to avow her purpose in ad-
vance in order to convince other powers
that intervention was not wise. Che mere
fact that she would not join in such
movement was sufficient.
All the powers of Europe know that the
ference in the Transvaal, nor follow any
course hostile to the interests and wishes
OF Great Britain in matter not involving
injury TO American citizens. 1t is well un-
derstood also that our interest in the af-
fairs of the civilized world is sufficient to
preclude our ignoring any movement of the
combined powers which might involve the
well-being of all nations and disturb gen.
eral commercial relations.
Foreign Powers Can Understand
With this to go on, 1t is believed that for
eign powers will have no difficulty in arriv-
ing at the conclusion that our attitude is
not that Of indifference. and in ourselves
assuming position Of neutrality we an
ticipate that all other powers will be neu-
trail. The interests of the United States
might be seriously threatened by the gen.
eral disturbance of European politics, which
would follow an attempt at Intervention in
the Transvaal. 1t is regarded as hardly
possible that conflict Of the powers could
be provoked which would not spread SO as
to involve all the questions of national su-
premacy, disturbing the balance Of power
and including the Chinese question, where
the interests Of this government are i'm
portaut.
The attitude Of the United States IN refer
ence to the Transvaal matter is described
as that OF preseryer OF peace In the
broader sense, and as a neutral power IL
could not be Indifferent to departure from
strict neutrality on the part or other pow
ers not directly involved in the TransyaaI