Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1902-04-18

Indication of preparation fol-
~ war in the far east. While the
inspired press of St. Petersburg keeps
reiterating the statement that Russia
seeks nothing so much as the indie
pendence of China and Korea, anc
Russian diplomacy never loses an op.
portunity to renew the pledges for the
safeguarding of the integrity of the
Chinese empire empire; the car S government
Keeps sending men and munitions Of
war across Siberia to places within '4',',,
close touch with Russian interests j.,
olanchuria.
Japan, too, Continues to, offer her
protestations of d desire for peace.
but at the same time keeps strength
enlng her land and naval forces, and
seems longing for a trial of strength
with Russia.
Popular as the Anglo-Ja panese
treaty was in England it was re-
celved with even greater acclaim in
Japan. The Japanese people accept
ed it is a guarantee Of English armed
assistance in case of war with Rus
STA, but careful scrutiny of the
e2@vy does not necessarily provide
this. By it's provisions the two ma
tions are pledged to seek to preserve
the maintenance of the integrity and
Independence of the Chinese empire;
to maintain the territorial status quo
in the adjoining regions, and to
maintain freedom and impartiality
for the commences for all nations.
The treaty is to hold good for five
years from the date of it's taking eff
feet; is renewal BILE, and may be ter
minated on years notice being
given by either side. During the pc
Rod stipulated, should either party
to the contract be involved in war in
defense of it's interests in the east,
the other. is bound to maintain a
strict neutrality, and to use it's eff
forts to prevent other powers from
joining in hostilities against it's ally.
If, in such case, any other power
or powers make war upon the ally
already engaged, the other party is
to come to it's ally's assistance and
make war in common. and make
peace in mutual agreement with it.
There is to be a full understanding
between the two parties, neither to
enter into agreement with other pow
ers without consulting the other.
This does not necessarily involve
England in an armed conflict with
Russia should Japan see fit to begin
such war unless France as an ally
Of Russia, should attempt to go to
Russia's aid. Students of world poll
ties see in it. another link in the
chain that is to bring about gen
eral European conflict in the near flu
ture, and a careful reading of the
treaty and intelligent Interpretation
of it's meaning might easily be con
strued in this way. The Russian
press profess to see in the treaty an
advantage to Russia in that it sets
at rest the suspicion that Japan has
designs upon the independence Of
Corea. The St. Petersburg Herold
in commenting upon the treaty, says:
1.-THE conclusion of this alliance comes by
no means unexpectedly to Russian d.
plomacy: We know that the Japanese rep
resentative here has informed our govern
ment in the most loyal manner of the &C.
t ton l. Of Japan ,Moreovers the Russian soy
turbances, most positively proclaimed the
integrity of China as its programme: We
can have no objection, therefore, to Great
Britain and Japan now also protesting the
same standpoint in a formal manner, and
we trust that we have before us five years
of undisturbed peace in the far east which
We shall not fail to utilize to the fullest *
tent IN cons olidating our relations with our
Aslatlc neighbors The fact that the in
acknowledged by Great Britain and Japan
can only be hailed by us with the highest
Satisfaction, since we have always been in
vas only when an impression prevailed that
Japan was little. disposed to respect this
independence that 6 certain feeling of arx-
lety was felt in Russian society,".
w. A. F.