The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-08-30
Circulation Statement.
The Diplomatic TangIe.

that as the objects for which the allied
forces went 10 Pekin have been accom-
p!ished, it might now be well for them
10 withdraw and 10 leave the city to be
reoccupied by the Empress Dowager.
Kwang Hsu, and Tuan, thus opening
way 10 negotiate for peace with the I'm
perial Government. through Ii Hung
Chang, in its own capital.
on its face the proposition is a sincere
and innocent one: but we are afraid that
some of the powers Will suspect that there
is a string attached to it. In the light
of past knowledge and events it is per
haps not unfair 10 say that, but for the
terrible peril Of massacre 10 which the
ministers and foreigners in Pekin were
exposed, Russia would never have con
sented TO the presence Of British and
japanese troops in that place. Ignoring
disclaimers OF territorial ambition. the
fact is that the whole course of Russia
in China for fifteen years has been laid out
and pursued with an eye single to the
displacement Of British and the establish
ment Of MuscOvite paramount influence in
Pekin. The Russian policy, of late years
dictated in some respects by the Chino
japanese war, obviously has been to main
tain an ascendancy over the Chinese In
perisl authorities sufficient 10 control
their action against designs on the part
Of Great Britain and Japan 20 increase
their political influence in China.
We may concede the probability that
Russia has not contemplated the forcible
annexation of Manchuria in the immedi-
ale future; but, undoubtedly. she has in
tended to achieve ! status in the province
well as in the northern part OF Pe-chI-
Ii, which would be nearly tantamount 10
occupation. The Russian railway through
Manchuria could not well be left unpro-
tecteG. and its protection naturally would
involve the constant employment OF Rus
sian troops along its line. The chief dt-
rect aim OF the ST. Petersburg Government
for a generation has been TO secure a firm
position on the Gulf of Pe-chi-li, as the
Pacific terminus Of the Siberian Railway
system. and that would mean OF course.
the ultimate Transformation Of territory
lying between Port Arthur. Niuchwans.
and the Russian frontier formerly on. bar
now considerably below, the Amur River.
With these objects in view. ii is not
difficult 70 understand why Russia should
consider Pekin within her sphere OF in
nuenle. or why she should feel forced 10
maintain political paramountcy there, in
order to defeat the purposes of England
and Japan. Now both nations are repre-
scented in The city by contingents OF troops.
the representation of Japan being out of
proportion to thar of the other powers. Of
approximately fOTty-eight thousand inter-
national soldiers so far landed at Taku,
over twenty thousand have been japanese.
The landing of British forces at Shanghai.
and of the Japanese at Annoy, must be
strongly suggestive to the Car of possi>
bililies opposed TO his interests If the
game can be stopped where il stands. the
status quo ante bel.um restored, and the
international troops Withdrawn. Russia
viii hold the master hand in the north
just as she did before the war only now
perhaps more completely.
II is a serious question whether Eng
land, Germany, and Japan Will consent
TO such 4 solution if it can be avoided.
In principle IL American Government &C
cepts the Russian plan of withdrawal from
Pekin and negotiation with Ii Hung
Britain viii assume a similar position
But the attitude Of Germany is open to
doubt We do not know how much i'm
portance to accord 10 the statements of
Prince Oukhtomsky in New York the other
day. II they were we'll founded they in
dictate very serious friction between his
Government and that of the Kaiser, and
they are being angrily resented in Ger
many. However that may be, The consen-
sus of diplomatic opinion. Outside the cir
Cles OF the two principals. appears to be
that the Car is trying to force his neigh
boris hand in proposing a cessation of hos
tilities and the evacuation of Pekfn.
lust how Wilhelm II may regard the
move is yet to be seen. 1t is one which
is subject TO not little criticism from
the viewpoint of everybody but Russia
If the allies adopt what Mr.. Mckinley so
aptly terms the .scuttIing policy" the Chi
nese will call it a retreat and spread the
news all over the Empire that the foreign
devils have been defeated and driven from
Sc cred Pekin back to the sea whence they
came To the native mind the United
States, England Germany. France. and ia
from the capital. and thus have become
worthy of nothing but contempt The fact
that the allied army includes Russians as
well, viii be lost sight of in the spectacle
of an enormous Nuscovite force moving
down into Manchuria. In the event We
mention Russia would remain as the only
Western power of which the Chinese would
consider it necessary TO be afraid, and
Russian prestige would advance while the
prestige OF the others would disappear.
Still, as far as Germany is concerned. the
Kaiser is more or less bound by the de-
NAL of his Foreign Minister in the note of
July L. diseleiming any desire on the part
of his Government to acquire Chinese ter
ritory. That committal may have been
cleverly taken advantage OF in the Russian
peace proposals,
AS to our own probable situation in the
circumstances, it does not seem to much
matter what is done. Mr.. Mckinley is evil