Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-10
Mr.. Hays Note.

1t is to be hoped that Secretary Hays
note respecting the neutrality and integrity.
OF China may receive favorable response
from all the powers addressed. 1t Is fully
justified by the situation, and it aims at the
general good. Mr.. Hays Judgment in these
difficult matters is invariably sound. and
strangers. no less than his own country
men have come to approve 1t cordially.
While this deliverance has bearing on
both of the combatants, it necessarily aids
in emphasizing the whole Manchurian ques-
ton as Russia has developed 1t. Russia In
Maachuria, with her broken faith and her
very evident purposes, is almost the whole
case. Had she withdrawn, according to
promises several times repeated, the bloody
drama which has just opened would not
have been possible. Japan could have pre-
scented no claim, however much she might
have mstrusted Russia, which would have
aroused widespread sympathy. But with
Russia holding territory to which she has
right and against her solemn promise to
abandon it, Japan speaks to those who
know how 1t is themselves. Russia In Man
churia is not great a menace to Great
Britain. or Germany, or the United States
as she is to Japan, but she is very objec-
tionable there to all nations committed to
the policy Of the open door in China.
We get at Russias feeling in the prem
ises by her recent complaints about US.
Our treaty with China was resented as an
act unfriendly to Russia. The Russian
press In effect took the ground that we
should have conferred with the Russian
government rather than the Chinese under
the conditions which existed. China. how
over was a power doing business in her
own right. with minister at this capital,
and entertaining an American minister at
Picking. We should have insulted China
had we openly called Russia into the con-
suitation in a manner to recognize that
she and not China was the sovereign power
in Manchuria. We made our terms with
China without open objection from Russia.
We intend to perform our obligations under
them. and, as we are advised. China,
less prevented by Russia. will perform hers.
Our consuls. under the open door privi-
leges granted by China, will soon be at
their designated posts in Manchuria ready
for business.
This, then, brings us back to Mr.. Hays
note. China is now and should remain. a
nation. responsible for obligations already
undertaken and competent TO enter into
others. However the war may end, the
Chinese empire must not be a spoil for the
victor.
1t is evident that the China whose neu-
trality is to be respected does not include
Manchuria, which will clearly be the main
scene of military operations, both on land
and at Port Arthur by sea- If Russia We're
victorious she would doubtless hold Port
Arthur and other strategic points if not the
whole of Manehuria. If Japan is victorious,
and as an incidental feature of this result
should storm and capture Port Arthur, she
would be apt to treat it as conquered Rus
sian territory rather than property belong
ing to China. which must of necessity be
Immediately restored
The effect of Secretary Hays note should
at the least be to preserve the neutrality
and integrity of China proper; and to main
tain the open door to the worlds commerce
In Manchuria with minimum impairment
of China's sovereignty in that province.