The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-01-18
BOTH CHINA AND
JAPAN TO REPLY
CelestiaIs Will Claim to Have
Observed Neutrality.
HAYS NOTE OPENS THE WAY
COPIES SENT TO EMBASSIES AND
LEGATIONS.

Washington, Jan. 1.-THE note of
! Secretary Hay relative to the Russian
/ charge of violation by China of the
/ laws of neutrality which is to be pre-
/ scented to the Peking authorities by Mr..
/ Coolidge, the secretary of the Ameri-
/ can legation at Peking, VIII. it is ex-
/ pected be rather welcomed by the Chi
heSe government as affording il prop
er opportunity To make formal reply to
1 the Russian charges. 1t is certain that
/ there is nothing in Secretary Hays
note in any degree menacing or caIcu-
lated i'm any way to touch the pride of
the Chinese. II is further believed that
the Chinese government in anticipation
or such action by the secretary of state,
mas practically prepared its defense.
This viii amount to a sweeping denial
or the accuracy of the Russian charges
| upon many POINTS and a declaration
that where the Russian statements are
founded on facts they do not constitute
violations of the law Of neutrality, as
accepted by the powers.
Ryeshitelni Incident.
Touching the Ryeshitelni incident.
WheTe Russia complained that the Chi
/ nese admiral and other authorities at
/ shanghai permitted the neutrality of
/ the port to be violated by allowing
Japanese torpedo boat destroyers to
enter the harbOr and cut out the Rus
sian boat il will be alleged that no
facts have been adduced to show that
the Chinese authorities had warning of
/ the japanese intention, so consequently
/ they could not be accused of wilfuI
| neglect to take necessary precautions
! 10 protect the Russian craft from seiz-
/ ure- A question also will be raised as
I 10 whether the Russian crew on the
/ Ryeshitelni had themselves observed
neutrality by completely disarming the
vessel There is a further question as
/ TO the ability of the Chinese admiral
/ to have prevented the japanese seizure.
4 even If so disposed, because Of lack of
/ physical force.
Chinese and Jap Army.
Touching the charge that many Chi
nese are serving in the Japanese army
/ for pay, it is believed that the Chinese
government, after questioning the truth
Of the allegation and pointing to the
/ failure of the Russians to find Chinese
/ among the japanese killed in battle,
J viii raise the point that even if such
! Chinese did serve as Japanese soldiers,
I such fact does not Of itself constitute
a violation of international law respect
/ ing neutrality. A neutral nation may
! properly be required to prevent the or
ganization within its territory of hos
/ tile expeditions directed against a bel
/ liBerent, but it cannot prevent its citf-
Zens individually from casting their lot
| with either one of the combatants
The other charge in the Russian COM
paint, namely, the employment of Jap
| anese officers to drill Chinese troops in
modern tactics, will. it is believed, also
/ be declared to be within the rights of
! any power and not a violation of the
rules of neutrality.
Japan Preparing an Answer.
The japanese government has been
/ Informed Of the Russian complaint and
/ 1t Is stated here that it is preparing a
complete and categorical denial of the
Russian charges. Beside this denial it
is understood the note will make sharp
comment upon alleged violations OF
neutrality by some of the powers in
favor of Russia, notably in connection
with the extension TO Russian vessels,
which were being hOtIy pursued by the
japanese, of rights of asylum in neu-
trail ports to a degree never conten1-
plated by the older authorities on in
ternationaI law.
Hays Note to Cassini.
Secretary Hay has addressed a note
! to the Russian ambassador here ack-
/ Eowledging the receipt of the Russian
complaint of violation of neutrality by
China. The secretary called the atten-
ton Of the Russian government to GER
tain cardinal principles of international
law relative TO neutrality which seemed
to apply to the present case. 1t is be-
| lieved that he particularly directed at
/ tentiOn 10 the formidabl difficulties
sure TO be encountered by a neutral
power near the theatre of war i'm eff
forts to carry out in letter and spirit
the obligations of neutrality in the
presence of two such powerful belliger-
/ ents as are now engaged in hostiIities
Following the practice he had so far
observed in connection with the far
eastern negotiations Secretary Hay has
caused TO be sent to each of the Ameri-
can embassies and legations in Europe
and in japan a copy Of the note he
had addressed to the Chinese govern
ment touching the Russian complaint