The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-02-13
MEANING OF HAYS MOVE England'S AnSWer to Note
 Is Regarded as
 Ridiculous.

Japan the Washington government sug- gests the propriety of limiting hostiiities within as small an area as possible ana of respecting the neutrality and ,adminis- l trative entity of China, that China may be free from disturbances and foreign in terests there from menace"
 The Associated Press is enabled to give this as the substance of the note ad- dressed by Secretary Hay February 10 to the St. Petersburg and Tokio govern ments. February in note to Germany, Great Britain and France, Mir. Hay in- vited those powers concurrently to address Russia and Japan with the same sugges- tion. and February Il this invitation was extended to Italy, Austria Hungary, The Netherlands, Denmark. Spain and Bel gium. .. .4f | a prompt acceptance of the invitation, and the promise tls1t she immediately would address the two combatants. '.'
 String to England's Answer.
 Great Britain was heard from next. ex- pressing adherence to the principles, laid down in the note, but withholding formal acceptance pending an answer to an in- quiry whether the administrative entity China involved Manchuria.
 Japan was heard from quickly with the answer that she would act readily on the suggestion of the United States If simi- lar promise could be obtained from Rus sia. .-'.. o. 1 Italy, Austria-Hungary and The Neither lands expressed sympathy with the idea, and promised an answer after consulta- | tion with other poweNs. There Is reason to believe that Spain and Belgium also will accept the invitation. Russia thus far has been silent and the attitude of France is one of hesitation. ... . , | That is the situation tonight. Mean time 1t is learned that Germany is ad- dressing the combatants with a note in substance the same as that of Secretary Hay.
 | Regarding the attitude of Great Bri- | her willingness to take the initiative.
 to the officials that as the principle is one for which the British government has stood in the past so staIwartly for it should hold up formal acceptance of the invitation until it has learned further de- ] tails. -..3 3.,.s,.....,.......-.
 England'st Reply Was Silly. -.
 On the highsst authority 1t can be ] stated; stlsat flEexe are no details to the secretary's note. as 1t would be manifest ly impossible to hope for concurrent ac- ton by so many powers upon any but the most general lines. That the officials | of the Washington government could have in mind the neutrality of Manchu- ria is declared on the face of it to be | absurd. Manchurla is recognized by this government with Korea to be tine natural theater 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 diplomatic occurrences which led up to the issuance of Secretary Hays note:
 February 6, Baron von Sternberg, the German ambassador, under instructions from Berlin. called at the White House and laid before the President this propo- sition: 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 enti- ty of administration of China.
 The German Idea.
 "The German government invited the | United States as the power possessing the least political interest in European and Far Eastern affairs to issue the invita- ton; in the event, however, that this | was not practicable. Germany expressed tain. it has been a. matter of some regret
 "The German ambassador called again the day following, Sunday, for further conference with the President, to whom the idea at once appealed as exceedingly l practical, and worthy of execution. Sec retary Hay arrived in Washington that night and had a conference with the
 "The next morning the German Ann bassador called at the secretary's resi- dence for a conference. It was then de- cided that probably the invitation could hc issued more advantageously by this T government and the notes to the peace and combatant powers were that day 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. It is said that Russia had no knowledge in advance of Ger many's intention to take this step.
 ''It should be remembered that at time the note was issued there was no official information that hostilities had actually begun. This fact necessitated a slight changing in the wording of the invitation to the other powers.
 In diplomatic circles. the fact that Ger many and the United States took the lead concurrently in this important diplomatic move is regarded as having great signi- ficance. Both in official and diplomatic circles heretofe the belief has been gen. eraI that Germany had a secret under standing with Russia in the Far East but it was said tonight that this gov ernment is now convinced of the sincerity of Germany's insistence all along that her interests in the Far East were largely Icommercial and that she wished the main tenance of the integrity of China.
 
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