Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1904-08-26
JAPANESE VIEW
OF NEUTRALITY
WILLING TO OBSERVE 1T SO
LONG AS RUSSIA DOES
RYESHITELNI INCIDENT
Japanese Government Asserts That
Russian Vessel Was First Guilty of
q Breach of Neutrality in Entering
the Harbor of Oheefoo.

Tokio.-The japanese government
has given to the Associated Press a
statement defining its attitude in the
capture of the Ryeshitelni and de-
elaring its position on the entire
question of Chinese neutrality as fol-
lows:
"The status Of China in the pres
ent struggle is wholly unique. Near
ly all the military operations are car
ried on within her borders. She is
not party to the conflict, neverthe-
Jess her territories are in part bel
ligerent and part neutral. That con-
dition of things in the contemplation
of international law is an anomaly
and contradiction. In this case it
is creature of a special undertaking
to which the bellgerents have given
adhesion with a view to limit the
area Of hostilities in the interest Of
foreign intercourse and the general
tranquility of China. The japanese
engaged to respect the neutrality of
China outside of the regions actual
ly involved In war provided that Rus
sia made similar engagement and
carried it oSt in good faith. The Ja-
panese government considered that
they were precluded by this engage
ment from occupying or making use
for warlike purposes of any kind of
territory or ports of China outside
OF the zone which has been made the
theatre of war because it seemed to
them that any such occupation would
lpso faeto convert the places thus
occupied and used from neutral to
belligerent territory. 1t equally seem
ed to them that any such occupation
and use Of neutral Chinese terri
tory or ports by the Russian forces
would give effect to the proviso In
the japanese engagement and justify
her in considering territory or ports
so occupied and used as belligerent.
In other words the japanese govern
ment held that China S neutrality is
imperfect and applicable only to
those places which are not occupied
by the armed forces of either bel
lgerent and Russia cannot escape the
consequences of an unsuccessful war
by moving its army or navy into
those portions of China which by ar
rangement had been made condition
ally neutral. A Russian warship from
Port Arthur sought in the harbor cf
Chefoo asylum from attack which
her home port had ceased to afford
her. In taking that step she was
guilty of breach of the neutrality
of China as established by the agree
ment of the belligerents and Japan
was fully justified in regarding the
harbor Of Cheefoo as belligerent so
far as the incident in question is con-
cerned. With the termination Of the
incident the neutrality of the port
was revived. The action of Japan at
Chefoo was direct natural conse-
quence of Russia's disregard of her
engagement but it is not alone in
this matter nor alone in the Chefoo
matter that Russia has fagrantly vio-
lated China's neutrality and ignored
her own engagements. Shortly after
the investment and isolation Of Port
Arthur a system of wireless telegra-
ply was installed between the belea-
guered fortress and the Russian con-
sulate at Chefoo. The system is still
in operation notwithstanding the re-
peated protests of the japanese gov
ernment.
The japanese government has no
intention of disregarding China S
neutrality so long as it is respected
by Russia, but they cannot consent
tlrat Russian warships as a result Of
broken engagement and violated
neutrality, shall unchallenged find in
the harbors Of China safe refuge
from destruction.