Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1901-03-26
JAPAN'S DILEMMA.
Engage In War With Russia
Now or Later?
AGGRESSION MUST BE CHECKED.
Mr.. Matsui Said if Russia Secures
Manchuria She Will Be on the WAY
to Securing korea-chlnese Minis.
ter Urges England.

London, March 26.-The IaInese
minister. Sir Chih Chen 10 Feng Luh.
called at the foreign office and urged
the British government to bring pres
sure to bear in order to prevent Rus
STA from securing the necessary sig
natures of the Manchurian agreement.
The foreign Office was still In the dark
last night apparently as to whether
the agreement will be signed or al
lowed to lapse when the time expires.
March 26. The officials of the Japan
csc legation were inclined to believe
Russia will succeed in getting the nee
essary signatures.
The situation was still more com
plicated owing to the fact, ascertain
ed by a representative of the Asso-
ciated Press, that there are two Sc
cret treaties, one of which is to be
signed at st. Petersburg dealing with
Russias military control of Manchu-
ria. and another, to be signed at
Pekin, dealing with her civil powers.
The Chinese appeals for support
failed to produce any direct remon-
stranees from Great Britain OF ap-
parently from any other power, to
St. Petersburg, for Russia persistently
adhered to her contention that the
secret agreements concern no one ex-
eept herself and China. On this
ground Great Britain's request for
copies of the agreement was abruptly
declined
It is explained at the foreign of.
flee here that it would be a dangerous
and useless breach of diplomatic pro-
eedure to endeavor to enter upon ex-
postulations with Russia which would
only be based upon information sup
piled by the Chinese
In other words the copies of Sc
eret treaties and alleged notifications
of them recently given to the powers
by the Chinese, apparently, were
worthless documents and will remain
such until Russia herself chooses to
communicate the text of the actual
treaties and notifications.
In the absence of the Japanese min
lister in London, Baron Hayashi, Mr..
Matsui, first secretary of the Japan
csc legation, who was interviewed
yesterday afternoon by a representa-.
| tive of the Associated Press. made a
comprehensive statement of the is
sues involved He said:
"Russia's insistance, Chinas help.
1essness and the probable victory of
| Russian diplomacy tomorrow will
bring us to the brink of a dangerous
situation in which none of the pow
ers is SO deeply concerned as Japan.
Even if the secret treaties have been
modified. as is alleged. the changes
are SO triding as to make the docu.
ments thoroughly Objectionable to
Japan.
Assuming that China signs the
treaties. | suppose Great Britain, Ger.
many and the United States will pro-
| test to Russia. But that is about as
far as they will go and about as much
as they will get With Japan 1t is a
matter of fighting.
1.-THE question is whether we are to
| fight Russia now or to fight her later
on. She has no right to Manchuria.
and If she secures Manchuria she will
be on the way to securing Korea
Our government, | believe, are Sc.
riously considering the crisis Their
eyes are wide open and they will not
be driven to precipitate action by the
jingoists of Japan. who are openly
clamoring for immediate war Yet,
if they see that was is unavoidable,
they will not hesitate to strike.
Japan has no reason to be afraid
as to the result. Many reasons occur
to the average Japanese mind in ia
vor of forcing at the present moment
struggle which must come eventu,
ally. The chief reason against so
doing Is the fact that Japan is just
beginning new industrial era which
would be temporarily killed should
we endeavor by force of arms to pre-
vent Russian encroaehments.
'If we follow the lead of other pow
ers and do not threaten hostilities
we realize that we must sit down
tamely and see any other nation step
in to make agreements similar to
those which China seems on the verge
of signing with Russia. This would
mean the partition of the Chinese en-.
pire and the end of the open door
If we opposed it, we naturally think
we would have the moral support OF
the United States. which had been
the champion of these principles. and
also of Great Britain and Germany.
n1.