The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-03-27
The Russo-Chinese Convention.

Assuming the report to be true that
China has rejected the Russo-Chlnese
Convention without qualific~ ton It does
not follow that there is an end to the
matter. Today's refusal may be only the
precursor of tomorrow's submission
Nothing is surer than that, unless Powers
other than Japan are ready To DO some
thing more than lodge formal objection
Russia viii get her way. The Car has
already taken title to Manchuria and
Mongolia by conquest ana occupation as
he had a perfect right 10 do under the
general principles of international law.
after China attacked the Russian from
tier and destroyed the Russian railways
The St. Petersburg Government waived
this right in its promise TO the allies not
to acquire Chinese territory or to make
q separate treaty with China without the
consent and privity of all parties con
cerned- The Manchurian Convention is
4 violation OF that promise, but the fact
Is not OF sufficient Importance to affect
actual conditions Russia occupies mas
organized and rules through Russian
agencies, all of AIanchuria Mongolia
kashgaria- and Turkestan. She Is in
possession. which is nine points of the
law. and she has the troops 10 defend it,
which IS the tenth and final one
Il Is believed that China Is under
distinct threat Of harsher terms. if the
convention be rejected. How far the Sc
rious domestic troubles OF Russia may
operate TO affect or postpone action in
China. II would be Impossible To- say. But
that consideration aside. Russia Is never
il a hurry ana may choose now 10 tenn
poriZe with Japan rather than TO bring
on war with that country before he com
pletion Of the Trans-Siberiau Railway
on the other hand. if il be true as Is very
widely believed, that Japan feels she
must inevitably night Russia sooner or
later the chances are that she would Sc
lecU some time for the purpose IN advance
Of that completion. and the most likely
time would be now
one reason why We think Il unimyOr-
tant whether China shall submit 10 the
Russian demands at present or rot. Is
that. while The formality of d treaty
would relieve Great Britain and Germa ny
froLa any embarrassment IN the matter
OF promises not to take territory, the
Isus sian acquisition of Manchuria Is 50
lInd =uiably un fait accompIi that il viii
be treated as d sufficient precedent for
tbs action of The other Powers. The par
tirion of China in principle and in fact
has begun No human force or agency
That We can think Of could stop it now.
Il i painful but not surprising TO note
the hippant and contemptuous tone Of IN.
European press toward the United StIfeS
IN connection with the Chinese question
The German papers laugh at our propo-
sitiou to FIX our own and Germany :
indemnity, and London journals generally
wax sarcastic over Secretary Hays note
TO China informing the Empress DOwageI
IN effect that if Russia desires to co=rce
her. the United States viii not do any
thing about it The London Post" says
this IS moral suasion,' and adds that i
the Powers are unable TO help China II
any way. the less they have &c say about
it the better Foreign editors d. not take
into consideration the fact that our world
diplomacy is only three years old and Lot
particularly = bright child for its age: and
that. moreover. or foreign policy is un-
der the complex dictation Of a group OF
great trusts and monopoIIes. Sugar con-
truls our relations with Russia, oil and
one or TWO other interests our Chinese
policy. asphalt cur Intercourse with Vena-
2uela, and so on. Allowances ought 10 he
made for Foreign ONCE 50 bedevIIed
The truth IS that the Iaughable amateur
diplomacy of the cut and scuttIe from Pc
kin made an impression upon Europe lot
at all creditabIe 10 America and il vii
take years. and a succession Of Secr-ta.
ries Of State Of a kind quite distinct from
The species TO which Mr. Hay belongs [,
regain our lost standing