Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-28
THE JAPANESE PLAN
To Drive Russians Beyond
the Lingtung Mountains.
TO HOLD MANCHURIA
POWERS MAY THEN BE ASKED
FOR THEIR SUGGESTIONS.
China Said to Be Contemplating a
Movement Looking to Mediation
in the Eastern War.
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS
Written for The Evening Star and Chicago Record
Herald.
The Chinese government for several weeks
has been considering the advisabflHy OF
sending WI Ting Fang or some other spe-
cial envoy to the United States and the
European powers to solicit their consent
and aid in formulating plan of mediation,
but 1t is understood here that the sugges-
ton shas not received any encouragement.
1t seems to be the general opinion that the
time is not yet ripe for such a movement.
Everybody in this country Is interested In
the fortunes of WI Ting Fang, who became
so we'll known and made himself so popular
during the five years that he served as min
lister for the celestial empire in Washington.
He is now occupying an exalted and I'M
portant position at Picking. He is vice pres
ident of the foreign department of foreign
affairs, vice president of the department of
commerce, and is a member of two or three
other boards and bureaus having to do with
the most important lines of activity IN the
Chinese empire There are rumorS that ne
does not get along very we'll with Prince
Ching, the prime minister, and some or the
other venerable gentlemen who preside over
the various departments of the government.
His aggressive and impetuous disposition
does not conform to the oriental ideas or
official propriety and conduct, and he no
doubt Jars them severely sometimes. But
his knowledge, experience and ability are
very useful to the government Just now IN
carrying out the progressive policy that
has been recently adopted, and the more Sc
date and conservative officials are willing TO
put I'D with his AmericaniZed methods
rather than lose the value of his services.
Whenever the conference at The Hague Is
called China will be able to send delegates
To hrip
mediation, unless there Is a previous agree
ment that it will not be discussed. Whlle
any member of the conference can propose
business, none of the European powers
would care to take the initiative in the mat
ter of the war, and 1t is especially appro-
pirate that China should do So the results
and consequences of the struggle that Is
now going on being more vital to her than
to any other nation. 1t is impossible to
anticipate the attitude of Japan or RUSSIA
toward such proposition Both natlons
will undoubtedly be governed by circum-
stances existing at the time.
The Japanese Plan.
The plan of the Japanese government, as
1t was whispered about in Tokyo last sum-
mer, has been to drive the Russians out OF
the Liaotung peninsula beyond the Ling
tung mountains north of Mukden, and then
formally notify the powers of Europe ana
the United States that the purpose of the
war has been accomplished, and invite sug-
gestions as to the disposition Of the terri
tory-whether 1t shall be restored to China
or governed by Japan for the time being, or
whether it would be better for the powers
to designate some European or American to
administer affairs until China Is capable OF
performing that office.
The japanese have contended from the
beginning of the war that their only hope
is to compel Russia to carry out her agree
ment with the other nations and to preserve
he nj China Rv treatV and by
repeated assurances Russia promised to
evacuate Manchuria on the LIST of October,
1903, but when the time came she refused
to do Japan undertook to compel her
to fulfill her obligations, and has practically
succeeded in doing so. Russia made that
promise particularly to the United States,
and the Japanese and the European powers
at that time repeatedly attempted to per-
suade the United States to guarantee full
fillment.
They have also endeavored to persuade
this government to guarantee the integrity
of China, but our policy in such matters Is
we'll known. We are still following the ad-
vice given by George Washington in his
farewell address to his successors in Office,
to avoid entangling alliances. Neverthe-
less, Japan claims that she has been fight
ing our battle; that her disposition toward
China is precisely the same ours, and
that she proposes to turn back Manchuria
to Chinese authority as soon as she has
driven the Russians out. 1t is significant
that she has never made any such PROPOSE
ton concerning Korea, and it is taken for
granted that she does not propose to do so
or to relinQuish any of the authority or in
fiuence she is now exercising over the Ko-
rean empire.
The Disposition Of Manchuria.
Nor does Japan propose to let Manchuria
get away from her entirely If she makes
the overtures described above to the powers
1t will be in the nature of soliciting advice
rather than assistance or cooperation.
Japanese diplomats are too shrewd and
wise to permit the powers of Europe to de-
prive them of the fruits of this war, as they
did in 1895, after the war with China. The
experience of Russia after the war with
Turkey furnished them another important
object lesson. Russia conquered Turkey on
the pretext of obtaining the privilege of
protecting the members of the Greek church
and the Slav races in the Balkan peninsula,
but her real motive was to obtain port
upon the Mediterranean sea. The Berlin
conference, however, interfered and prac-
tically deprived Russia of every advantage
she had gained. series Of buffer states
were created out Of the former Turkish
provinces in the Balkans, which made 1t
still more difficult for Russia to accom-
plish its purpose of centuries.
1t is probable that Japan will take adj
vantage Of The Hague conference to consult
the other powers to the disposition of
Manchuria, provided the meeting Is not
postponed too long. The President was in
parliamentary peace conference, and Secre-
tary Hay has already taken steps to carry
1t into effect. There is considerable pre-
liminary work to be DONE The first step is
for the Department Of State to address
identical notes to the several governments
participating in the first congress, inviting
suggestions as to the time and place of
meeting and the topics to be discussed.
When the replies have been received 1t will
be necessary to formulate them and COM
municate the information they convey to all
OF the signatory powers. All this requires
time for reflection and consultation. Such
matters cannot be hurried. and the delicate
situation in Europe caused by the present
war will undoubtedly provoke discussion
II not embarrassment. Russia or Germany
OF France, perhaps, may require definite
program before conserving to the con-
ference in order to shut out the very topics
that the President and the interparlia
mentary congress have In mind. Each gov
eminent has a right to suggest topics for
discussion, and each has the privilege Of OBJ
jecting to the introduction Of any subject
that is offensive. In his invitation Sec
retay Hay of course, will not refer to the
troubles in Manchuria, but they may be