The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-01
RUSSIA HAS NO GROUND OF CON-
PLANT.

Dispatches from St. Petersburg are be-
coming tiresome in their iteration OF Rus
sian complaints of American unfriendliness
and alleged violations of neutrality. One
day We are told that large Russian or
ders for American goods are being counter
manded. then that Russians are refusing
to shake hands with Americans whom
they meet socially, then that the Rus
sian papers unanimous in condemning
the ''unfriendly attitude" of the United
States, etc.
1t is doubtful if this feeling exists in
Russia to the extent that is represented
There are indications that it is greatly ex-
aggerated in order to affect public opinion
in this country and perhaps scare Ameri-
cans into a more friendly attitude. But if
the feeling does exist to any great ex-
tent Russians will soon discover, If they
are permitted to discover the truth about
anything that there is no ground for 1t
and that they have made fools of them
selves. There is no government in the
world that knows better what strict neu-
trality means than the United States, nor
any that observes it's obligations in this
regard more carefully.
The Russian grounds of complaint are,
first, that the captain of the vicksburg did
not join with those of the other foreign
ships at Chemulpo in protesting against
violation of the neutrality laws by the
Japanese; second, that he refused to take
drowning Russian sailors aboard his ship,
and, third that it was an unfriendly act
for the United States to allow the Japanese
to lay a submarine cable from the Island of
Guam to Japan. There is nothing in any
of these charges. Commander Marshall has
reported that, so far from refusing to
rescue Russian sailors, he was the first TO
extend relief and did it in an effective
manner.
AS to joining with the captains of the
other ships in maintaining the neutrality
of the Korean port against the japanese.
that was not Commander Marshall's bust
ness nor was it theirs. When the truth is
known it will probably appear that the
other officers did not do anything of the
kind. If they did they exceeded the re-
quirements of international law. If Com
mander Marshall had joined in such action
he would probably have been reprimanded.
/ 1t is enough for the United States TO main
| tain its own neutrality without sending
ships TO maintain that of Korea. The Rus
sian contention in this regard shows an
entire misapprehension of international
| law.
The proposed cable from Guam to Japan
is commercial enterprise. The application
to lay it was made by the Commercial
Cable Company, which had the contract
with the United States government for
/ laying the cable from San Francisco to the
Philippines. If laid the cable would be use
full to Japan and the United States in q
commercial way. but II Is not perceived
that it could be useful in a military way
| However, the application TO lay it has not
been granted yet. and if it is it will be ac-
eompaned by conditions that will prevent
fl from becoming violation of neutrality
| The incident furnishes the United States
/ an opportunity of showing it's scrupulous
regard for the obligations OF neutrality
which Ii will be pretty sure to utilize.
Thus it will be seen that. as far as the
government of the United States or am
of it's officials concerned. there is nc
ground whatever for the feeling that is SAID
to prevail in Russia AS for popular senti
ment In this country. the government /:
not responsible for that. Ii should bs
enough for the Russian government anC
| people IL the United States maintains ar
attitude of strict neutrality as the term /:
defined by the law of nations. Popular
! sentiment is another matter. All the laws