Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1904-02-18
READY TO AGREE, WITH RUSSIA,
TO HAYS NOTE.
GREAT BRITAIN BACKWARD
Hesitates to Declare Favor of Propo-
sition to Confine Hostilities and Of
Maintaining the Integrity of China
Russia Remains Siient-Ger-
many Suggests the Idea.

Washington, Feb. 1S.-"To Russia
and Japan, the Washington govern
ment suggests the propriety of limit
ing the hostilities within as small an
area as possible and of respecting
the neutrality and administrative en-
tity of China, that China may be free
from the disturbances and the foreign
interests therein be not mepaced."
This the Associated Press is en-
abled to give as the substance of Sec
rotary Hays note to the St. Peters
burg and Toxic governments. Febru-
airy s, in note to Germany, Great
Britain and France, Secretary Hay
invited those powers to concur in the
| address to Russia and Japan with
the same suggestion, and on February
IL this invitation was extended to
Italy, Austria-Hungary, the Neither.
lands, Denmark, Spain and Belgium.
Germany was the first to respond,
with prompt acceptance of the invi-
| tation and the promise that she i'm.
mediately would address the two
combatants. Great Britain was hear
from next, expressing her adherence
to the principle laid down in the note
but Withholding formal acceptance
pending an answer to the inquiry
whether the administrative entity
OF China involved Manchuria. japan
was heard from quickly with the an
| swer that she would act readily O,
the suggestion of the United States i
similar promise could be obtaine,
from Russia.
Russia is still silent and France i.
hesitating. Others favor the sugges
ton. Regarding the attitude of Grea
! Britain, it has been a matter of som,
| regret to the officials that as the prin
ciple is one for which the British
government has stood in the past },
stalwartly IL should hold up forma
| acceptance of the invitation until /
| has learned further details. On thu
highest authority it can be statet
that there are no details to the secre
tary's note as it would be manifest,
impossible to hope for concurrent ac
| ton by so many powers upon any but
| most general lines. That the officials
of the Washington government coulC
have had in mind the neutrality O.
| Manchuria is declared on the face oil
| it to be absurd. Manchuria is recoy
niZed by this government. with Corea
| to be the natural theater of the wal
and for this reason primarily is the
| suggestion made that the hostilitieg
| be restricted.
Regarding the diplomatic steps
! leading up to the issuance Of the note
! 1t is stated that the German ambas
sador called on the president Febru-
/ airy G and under instructions from
Berlin made a suggestion practically
| the same as contained in Secretary
Hays note. Another conference was
held the next day and Monday, after
a conference between Herr SteInberg
and Secretary Hay, the note was is.
sued. Attention is called 10 TIE fact
that the note was issued before Off
cial information had been received
tat hostilities had actually begun
In diplomatic circles the fact that
Germany and the United States took
the lead concurrently in this impor-
tant diplomatic move is regarded as
having great significance.