The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-02-14
Lord P~auncefote and the United
states.

powers Of Europe. namely, Great Britain
France, Germany, Russia. Austria and
Italy, called at the White House or
April Z, 1898. Under instructions from
their respective Governments they pre-
scented { o President MCKINLEY a col
lective note in which was expressed
in diplomatic language the hope that
the impending hostilities with Spain
for the liberation of Cuba might be
averted by further negotiations.
President MCKINLEY replied, in sub
stance, that our Government likewise
hoped for the maintenance of peace
with Spain; but that if war came he
was confident the powers would appre-
ciate the endeavors and recognize the
duty OF this country TO end q situation
in Cuba the indefinite prolongation Of
which had become insufferable.
1t has been asserted that the private
copy OF this collective note which in
formed Mr.. MCKINLEY in advance Of
its formal presentation and enabled
him to reply as promptly and effectively
as he did, was furnished to him through
the friendly Offices of the British Am
bassador, Lord ~PAUNcEFoTE.
This ended the incident, so far as there
is public official record Of any joint or
separate action on the part Of any of
the six powers. While the form of
their appeal was unusual, it was devoid
of any feature that could be offensive
to n strong and self-reliant Government.
There was not the slightest menace,
direct or implied, of coercive interviews
ton; there was not even a suggestion
of mediation. The joint appeal of
April 7 had absolutely no significance
except academic and " humanitarian, y
unless it derived the same from subse-
quent cooperative movements indicat-
ing a more imperative attitude and
drastic policy on the part of some or all
of the six powers.
Whether there was in any quarter
a desire or attempt TO follow up the in
offensive collective note of April 7 with
representations less tolerable by our
national self-respect, is one of the most
interesting questions now before the
world. The international discussion of
the subject is proceeding in a manner
highly gratifying TO American pride;
since it has taken the form Of a COM
petition in gracious assurances and
protestations, of disinterested friend
ship such as has been rarely, If ever,
witnessed before in the family Of nations.
Apart from the historical importance
of the question, it affords an intellectual
problem Of considerable interest. What
is the key to the conflicting and APP
parently irreconcilable statements, for
example, put forth officially by Eng
land and Germany in their present
as claimants Of American graft
tude and affection?
There can be no doubt that the Ger
Government is honestly persuaded
that Great Britain was responsible for
a second attempt to bring about joint
action by the powers, a week after the
harmless note of April 7, and in a fashion
more threatening Of Intervention. Last
month the British Under-Secretary of
Foreign Affairs, Lord CRANBoRNE, de-
clared in the House of Commons that
while England had Joined in the first
collective note Of April 7, 1898, after
a~scertaining that the step would not
be displeasing to President MCKINLEY,
she had rejected subsequent proposals
which conveyed the impression that
was being put on the United
States. Thereupon the Foreign Offices of
France, Russia and Germany published
statements intended to ~exonerate them
OF these, Germany's statement
was particularly explicit; she had never
proposed Intervention TO other powers;
she had received and rejected such a pro-
posal, made to her by another power;
and the power proposing Intervention
was not Austria, avowedly the next
friend OF Spain at that time. About
weeks later, this statement was
supplemented by the publication, in the
North German Gazette, of the specific
assertion that on April IA, 1898, the
Ambassador at Washington pro-
posed TO ask the powers for authority
to send TO the United States Govern
llltlil a StNblNd N'lit'llNt iOit, uttldTllR ]
American Intervention in Cuba to be
. unjustiiable." The attempt to obscure
this . historical fact" said the North
German Gazette, was absurd. But for
the action Of Emperor WILLIAM, Lord
proposal would have been
accepted by the other powers"
The next day, in Parliament, Viscount
made this categorical denial
Of the German statements:
II was never proposed, through her Majesty's
Ambassador or otherwise. 10 make any declaration
adverse TO the United States. on the contrary,
her late Majes'y's Government, declined to acoede
10 any such proposal
And on the next day the issue of We
racity was raised by the official publica-
ton at Berlin Of the dispatches from DR..
Won HoLLEBEN to Count Won BELOW
which appeared In The Sun and the
other American newspapers yesterday.
The documents show that DR.. Won
reported as follows 10 his
on ADril IL 1898.