The Savannah morning news., 1900-08-27

the best authorities, is a perfectly distinct
and obvious proceeding. In this country
a declaration of war may be made only by
Congress. Only once in the present CEN
tury has such a declaration been made.
namely. in 1912. against Great Britain.
War may exist actually between the
United States and another country, as
was the case between this country and
Mexico, without action by Congress. The
Mexican War had progressed fourteen
months before action was taken by Con-
gress. Congress did not declare war
against Spain. 1t declared simply that a
state Of war existed from a specified pc
riod.
Among European nations the method of
procedure is simpler, but quite as obvious.
War is declared by them by edict or proc
lamation. 1t may be a declaration OF
war or 1t may be the official recognition
that a state of war exists. In either event
the news of such action would be publish
ed TO the world Immediately. Within three
hours after the official declaration of Con-
gress that the United States was at war
with Spain, the Spanish government had
on The wires a note to all governments to
which it had accredited representatives
notifying them of the existence of a state
of war between Spain and the United
States
The understanding among Washington
officials of RuSSias acton Is that the
empire has declared the three provinces
on / S southeastern frontier in a ate of
ST ge. This is altogether different from
a declaration of war. 1t corresponds to
declaration of martial law by Great Brit
ain and a susp ension of ihe right of ha>
beas corpus by the Units States. 1t is
Superces sion of civil by military authori-
t..
1t is pointed out further that Russia
has two objects in her present operations
in Chna--the rescue and protection of the
foreign legat ons and the protection or her
ne nsced frontier The avowed object of
the other Powers is simply the rescue and
the pro &c ion of the legationers and 9TH
er foreign subjects.
In carrying out her second object, Rus
sia has seized New Chwang. This was
done to obtain a base of operations from
which the frontier could easily be reached
precisely as Taku was seized as a base
of operations by the allies in their ope-
rat ons against Pekin.
Whether. in the event of a declaration
of war by one or more of the Powers
against China, an invitation would be ex-
tended 10 the United States to retir9 from
China as intimated in the dispatch from
Che Foo, is open to doubt, and II is de-
cidedly problemat teal, it is esid, whether
the invitation would be accepted. even II
il were rendered. The United States
forces are in China protecting the personal
and property rights of citizens of this
country. and, in addition, the treaty rights
of the United States.
Under the most favored nation clause.
this country has certain specific rights in
China and it is said on authority to be the
purpose of the United States to protect
and preserve these rights. The attitude
of this government In the event of
declaration of war by another power
would depend. it can be stated, upon the
immediate circumstances surrounding the
declaration and the situation in China at
the time the declaration was made. In any
event, IL can be said to be no part OF the
purpose of the United States TO sacrifice
any of its guaranteed rights or privileges
in the Chinese empire.