The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-06
RUSSIA'S PERPIDY EXPOSED,
LIES TO THE NATIONS ABOUT
THE MANCHURIAN DEMANDS.

Such Open Defiance Of the Rules OF ID.
plomacy Constitutes = Grave Crisis
United States and Britain Might Well
Unite to Meet This Important Issue.
Special Cable Despatch 10 THE Sun.
LONDON, May SIT is necessary to speak
few plain words about crisi which has
arisen in the affairs OF nations. crisis which
virtually affects the interests of every
country. great or small,
There are certain rules or cardinal prin-
ciples Of diplomacy without which inter-
course between nations becomes impossible.
One OF these is the sacredness of treaty
obligations, Another is that official decla-
rations OF fact or intentions made by ono
Government to another Government must
be made and accepted in the same spirit of
good faith as similar statements between
gentlemen.
1t must be admitted that the history Of
diplomacy, even In modern times, shows
some attempts to evade these principles.
That they should be openly defied simply
brings diplomacy to an end and leaves the
world at the mercy Of that primitive ar
bitter Of destiny. force.
1t is impossible to avoid bringing against
Russia to-day direct accusation Of this
almost unknown, but greatest Of all crimes.
Her recent course in both the near and far
Fast involves absolute defiance Of the
fundamental rules Of International inter-
course
To mention a comparatively unimpor-
ant matter first, Russia violated the treaty
81 Berlin the other day by sending several
torpedo boats through the Dardanelles.
Instead Of notifying the other signatory
powers OF her desire or intention to abro-
gate the treaty or this portion OF it., she
resorted to the petty subterfuge OF chang
ing the flag and dismantling the guns Of
The boats during their passage. No treaty
ever drafted will be worth the paper it
is written upon II its application is sub
iect to such dishonest trickery.
A far more fragrant case is that Of Rus
sia's pending demands upon China re-
garding Manchuria and Mongolia. The
text Of the documents, which was cabled
10 THE Sun yesterday, constitutes COM
plete proof OF Russia's bad faith, which
demands made against China. instead of
being less comprehensive than the first
version, may easily receive even q more
weeping Interpretation.
It Ia. Of oourss, greatly to Russia's
clssgrins that the on1ciai eeIe Of her de-
r,ands now becomes public. They suf-
fce to show that the denials made three
lays ago by the Russian ambassadors
at Warrington and London were moth
Ing less than insults to the American and
British nations in their shameless mem
iacity.
II requires no detailed review of we'll
known facts to make clear the disgraceful
position in which this INSCRIPTIONS Power
stands before the world. Russia gave an
uneqmvocal promise to withdraw from
Manchuria and to restore that province
TO the Chinese. Having fully established
herself In the province, she submits to China
a list Of so-called conditions Of withdrawal
These conditions, drawn in purposely loose
language, are designed to admit OF an
Interpretation which could bring all Of
Mongolia and even the Province OF Chill,
in which Pekin is situated, under Russian
control. They provide also that Russia
shall remain dominant in Manchurian
affairs.
Tho premature publication OF these de-
mands and the serious protests resulting
led Russia to deny the accuracy Of the
report. Her representatives embodied
specific details in their denials, which.
when compared with the official documents
later, showed that they lied for their coun-
try with almost fiendish ingenuity.
Secretary OF State Hay, whose protest
had really saved the situation, was obliged,
according to the rules OF the game, to thank
Russia for her frank statement" Then
China, under the influence OF the American
protest and British and Japanese advice.
refused to accept the demands and made
them public. Russia thus stands exposed
in her perfdy. Has she any sense of shame?
Any one familiar with her recent diplo-
matte practices will be inclined to doubt it.
Still it Is not improbable that she will think
the present situation suitable for her old
trick Of repudiating her representative at
Pekin. Nevertheless. the fact remains
that NJ. Plancon, the Russian Charge DAT
fairies at Pekin. put forward the demands.
as he expressly stated to the Chinese au-
thorities. by command Of the Imperial
Government"
Such is the situation Great ed by the
unprncipled conduct Of q great Power.
Again II must be said II constitutes grave
crisis in human affairs The United States
could afford to ignore the material interests
involved. No considerations Of trade or
commerce are likely at the present day to
drive America and Great Britain into
combination which the rest OF the world
20 much breads. An issue az great and
fundamental at that which Russia has
rails ed might do so. Nay, It should.
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