The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1902-04-10
hMERI6h
HOLDS KEY
Worlds Peace in Far East AS
suming Critical Phase.
DIPLOMATS GILL ON Hay
Powers Beginning to Distrust and Sus.
pect One Another-Seek Friend
ship and Approval Of the
United States.

mere never mas Doou ll1e
since the Chinese question be-
came acute through the Boxer
uprising of two years ago that
the great powers have been
watching one another so closely
and jealousy as at present.
Much depends on the attitude of
the United States, and the indi-
cations accumulate that the we'll
understood intention of this gov
eminent not to seek any exclusive
commercial or territorial exploit
tation in the oriental empire has
given it strength in the inter-
national concert which makes its
friendship and approval desir-
able object to every nation con:
cerned.
Sharing wholly or partially in
the confidence o. all parties to
the great world game that is be-
ing played in the far East, the
administration in Washington
has probably better means Of
understanding the Chinese sItua-
ton than any other government,
and its information leads directly
to the conclusion that suspicion
and distruSt of one another are
growing among the powerful
countries which make world
history.
The views of the United States
are sought on every suggestion,
report. or surmise, as to the in
tention of this or that power in
the far Eastern problem. 1t is
hardly likely that Japan would
seek information at ST. Peters
burg or Paris as to whether
Russia and France, despite pro-
testations to the contrary, were
preparing to make coup in
China. 1t is just as likely that
Russia would apply to London
or Toxic in regard to a rumor
that Japan, with England behind
her. contemplated an unexpected
move to Offset the effect of Rus
sla's present influence in Chinese
territory, from which Japan was
obliged to withdraw after the
Chinese Japanese war.
The position of this govern
ment is well known. 1t wants
the territorial intregity OF China
preserved, a strict adherence to
the agreement between the DOW
ers not to seek any exclusive
commercial or other concessions
IN that empire, the initiation of
the ''open door" in reality, the
withdrawal of Russia from Man
chooria, the withdrawal of Ger
man troops from Chill, and a
continuation of peace between all
the nations concerned.
Germany, however, is the most
uncertain quantity in the Chinese
situation. She is recorded on
paper as in accord with the pur-
poses which all the powers pro-
Tess to be DESTROYS of carrying
out, but the suspicion is prevail
ent that she is actually in sym
pathy with the supposed wish
of Russia to dismember China.
1t is confidently believed here
that whatever Germany may do
will find an echo in Italy and
Austria. and the reports of the
renewal of the triple alliance
practically confirm this belief.
1t is to be seen that the Unit.
ed States government occupies
solely among the members of the
far Eastern concert very i'm
portant and influential position
Its hands are tied, however, to a
certain extent, through having
pressed the other powers fire.
quently for a definition of their
views and through having ques-
toned them directly as to the
truth of nearly every report as
to their intentions toward China.
Further inquiry might give Of
Tense.
Would the United States be
willing to go to war to save Chi
IA from those who seek tho dis
memberment of that empire in
violation of solemn pledges to
this governments? President
Roosevelt's vigorous way of
dealing with. things and Secreta-
nv Hays enthusiastic interest in
preserving China for the Chinese