Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-02-13
Has Not Made Reply to Sec
rotary Hays Note.
Great jBfitian Gives Answer but Ha:
aCOndition.
Attitude Of France Is One OF some
Hesitation.

that China may be free from disturb
ances and foreign interests there from
This The Associated Press
is enabled to give as the substance ot
a note addressed by Secretary hay OH
Feb 10. to the st. Petersburg ana 10
kio governments. On Feb. ., IN hote
to Germany, Great Britain ana France,
Mr.. Hay invited those powers concur
rently to address Russia ana Japan
with the same suggestion and on rep.
il. this invitation was EXTENDED 10
Italy, Austria. Hungary, the Nether-
lands, Denmark, Spain and Beigiub.
Germany was the first to respond
with a prompt acceptance of the invi-
tation and the promise that she imme-
diately would address the Two COM
batants.
Great Britain was heard from next,
expressing for adherence to the prin-
ciplc laid down in the note but with
holding formal acceptance pending an
answer to an inquiry whether the
- administrative entity" of China in
volved Manchuria.
japan was heard from quickly with
the answer that she would act readily
on the suggestion of the United States
if n similar promise could be obtained
from Russia.
Italy, Astro-Hugary and the Neither
lands expressed sympathy With the
idea and promised an answer after
consultation with other powers.
There is reasons to believe that
Spain and Belgium will/accept the in
vitation.
Russia thus far has been silent and
the attitude of France is one of hes
itation.
This is the situation, tonight. Mean
W lille it is learned that Germany is
ADDRESSING the combatants with a note
in substance the same as that of Sec
rotary Hay.
Regarding the attitude Of Great
Britain, it has been q matter of some
regret to the officials here that as the
principle is one for which the British
has stood for in the past so stalwartly
it should hold up formal acceptance
Of the invitation until it has learned
further details. On highest authority
il can be stated that there are no de-
tails to the secretary's note as it would
be manifestly impossible to hope for
concurrent action by so many powers
upon any but the most general lines.
That the officials of the Washington
government could have had in mind
the neutrality of Manchuria is declar-
ed on the face of it to be absurd.
Manchuria is recognized by this gov
eminent with Corea to be the natural
theatre of the war and for this reason
primarily is the suggestion made that
hostilitieS be restricted.
A high official of the administration
has given these details of the diplo-
matte steps which led up to- the issu-
;,nce of Secretary Hays note:
ION Feb. 6, Baron Won Sternburg, the
German ambassador, under instruc-
lions from Berlin, called at the White
House and laid before the President
this proposition:
THAT the powers urge on Russia and
Japan the eXpediency of preserving the
peace of mind of the Chinese court and
of respecting the neutrality and entity
of administration of China. The Ger
man government invited the United
States as a power possessing the least
political interest in Europe and Far
East affairs, to issue the invitation; in
the event, however, that this was not
practicable, Germany expressed her
Willingness to take the initiative.
THE German ambassador called
again the following day-Sunday-for
Il further conference with the Presi-
dent, to whom the idea at once APP
pealed as exceedingly practicable and
worthy of execution. Secretary Hay
arrived i'll Washington that night and
had conference with the President
Immediately after his arrival.
1.-THE next morning the German en-
bassadOr called at the secretary's res
idence for conference. 1t was then
decided that probably the invitation
could be issued mere advantageously
by this government and the notes to
the peace and combatant powers We're
duly framed, those to Germany, France
and Great Britain being cabled that
night
Germany made this proposition to
the United States without consultation
with the other powers. 1t is said that
Russia had no knowledge in advance
of Germany's intention to take this
step.
1T should be remembered that at the
time the note was issued there was no
official information that hostilities had
actually begun. This fact necessitated
a slight changing in the wording CT the
invitation to the other powers"
In diplomatic circles the fact that
Germany and the United Statcts took
the lead cOncurrently at this important
diplomatic move is regarded as having
great significance. Both in official and
diplomatic circles heretofore the belief
has been general that Germany had o
secret understanding with Russia in the
Far Fast, but it VI s said, tonight. chat
this government IS now convinced of
the sincerity of Germany's insistcnce
all along that Ter interests in the Far
East were largely commercial and that
she wished the maintenance of the in
tegrity Of China.
NOT PREPARED.