Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-05-09
Japan Held to Have the Peace
Of Europe In Her Making
or Breaking
RESPONSIBILITY WITH FRANCE
The Russian Fleet Wrecks the Con-
ventiol, Of Nations by Violation Of
Neutrality Of French Waters -
{ France Held to Have connived at
and condoned These Acts.

London, May 9.-The correspondent
OF the Sun at Paris telegraph the
following:
"Coaltsd by England, harbored by
France and provisioned by everybody,
the Russian fleet may not destroy
Admiral Togo, but it has wrecked the
convention Of nations.
Frances responsibility for the cir
cumstances cannot be thrown off. 1t
only remains t. be seen what its con-
sequences will be. That they will be
most grave it is impossible to doubt,
as it Is also that the imputation upon
her honor as nation is most serious,
and this is by no means mitigated by
her present profes.sed intentions in re-
spect to Rear Admiral Nebogatoff's
approaching fleet"
Rarely has newspaper publication
caused such profound sensation in
Europe as the dispatch Of the Sun
correspondent at Hongkong, giving the
text Of the message filed by him, when
he was at Saigon, detailing Frances
violations Of neutrality, which the
French authorities there refused to
allow to be transmitted. 1t democrat
lied the. markets, aroused all the chan
celleriel, to keen activity, and produced
q war scare among the general public.
The situation as described by the
scorresp ondent is, of course, known in
the fullest detail to the authorities in
Toxic and the questions which absorbs
Europe is what will Japan do in the
face OF these facts?
Will Japan Embroil Europe?
There are two views on this point.
The first, which Is reassuring, is thus
Quainted with the Japanese official
and popular mind:
Japan Is well aware that France
fiagrantly violated the laws of neutral
ity. She knows she Is fully entitled to
adopt extreme measures of retaliation,
but why should she do So, considering
the st,ipendous consequences to the
entire world involved in such an ac-
ton? Moreover, Japan Is now fully
convinced that she can vanquish Rus
STA on land andssea no matter what
assistance the czar may receive from
his ally Of the nature described by tn.
Saigon dispatch.
1T is matter Of pride as we'll as
policy, under such circumstances, for
Vapan to whip her great antagonist
single handed. She will have many
opportunities to punish France for her
perfidy Hence, she will refrain from
calling Great Britain to her assistance
ct the present junctllre, as she has
the right to do, and the war will not
spread beyond Its present limitations
Quieseenee Means Stupidity.
"A graver view developed in the
course of a private conversation of the
Suns London correspondent with
dipiomatist who is entitled to discuss
Japanese policy. In answer to the
correspondents observation that he is
not inclined to take an alarmist view
Of the situation for the above reasons,
he said:
''Foi Japan to refrain from enforc-
ing her undoubted rights will be a pol
icy OF unprecedented magnanimity.
It would be, in fact, magnanimity
bordering on stupidity. You must re-
member the Russian fleet is far
stronger In battleships than Japan's.
and French assistance has greatly in
creased that efficiency. Japan recog-
nizes the delicate situation in Europe
OF the far-reaching efforts of any ac-
ton she may take. She does not de-
sire to disturb her ally's new friend
ship with France, and she has realized
what opportunities might arise for
Germany's advantage.
Japan must, nevertheless, give first
consideration to the preservation Of
her own national existence. Hence l
am unable to share your optimistic
view. Let France give sincere evil
'dence of her genuine determination
strictly to enforce her neutrality laws,
and even now the crisis can be avert
cd"