The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-08
Japan Declares Her Honor Is Involved In Controversy
 With China
WHOLE WORLD AGAINST
 NEN WAR IN THE EAST
United States May Be Asked To Medi- ate the Question, But All the World Powers Will Aid In Keep
 ing Peace.

Washington, March 7.-(Special.)-T acute stage in the negotiations between Japan and China, where war now looms as an ominous possibility has caused dip- lomatic officials here to discuss today the pertinent question whether 1t is likely any European nation may suggest the United States as mediator
 The general impression appears to be that a query will be conveyed within | day e so by some continental power to Tokio and particularly asking if the Uni ted States would be acceptable as medi- ator. Inasmuch as the Japanese gov ernment has stated that it's honor Is con cerned, there is little chance of having the cause of the quarrel referred to The Hague, unless Japan should agree to waive the point of national honor issue raised by the hauling down of the Japan csc flag when the Ia Tsu Maru was seized by China. The arrival in Washing ton of Wu Ting Fang, the returning Chi nese minister, this evening is regarded as very opportune He will occupy the center of the international stage for some weeks, and will lose no time in presenting lis credentials in the White House.
 Serious Danger Ahead.
 Wu comes at moment when there IS serious danger of armed conflict between his couktry and Japan. The fact that the relation between the United States and Japan are somewhat strained would not prevent the President from acting as med ator if the question should be put up to him by a nation friendly to China. The suggestion of mediation could not be re- garded ss an offense by Japan. That country could follow the precedent set by Great Britain, however, when the United States very cautiously made 1t known in London just before the Boer war that 1t would gladly use it's good offices if agree able to Great Britain. Great Britain re- fused absolutely The United States oc- cupied similar ground when all of the ambassadors in Washington called on President Mckinley and endeavored to stave off the war between Spain and the United States.
 There is no doubt that China has the good will of the United States at this time, regardless of the merits of the Ia Tsu Maru case.
 The United States and Great Britain are opposed to a war between Japan and China at this time, because there is now in progress a readjustment of the com mercial status in Manchuria, which is controlled by Japan, and war betwe~n China and Japan would close for long period during and after hostilltles, most of the treaty ports of China.
 Russia. Germany and France are in- tensely opposed to a war. They, with the Tinted States, see that the result would he favorable to Japan and that the victor would demand such territorial indemnity as would overshadow the spheres of in- 1uence now held by those countries in China.
 Difficult Question.
 The state department is being advised from time to time of the negotiations now on between the Chinese and Japanese foreign offices The President would hard lv offer his services as mediator in view of the relations between the United States and Japan, but it is hinted that the United States would not decline, II it were asked to have the matter settled by mediation or arbitration, or in The Hague One of the difficulties of the case. however, is that the honor of Japan has been declared by Japan to be in volved, and this takes the affair out of the category of arbitrable cases, unless Japan should waive that point.
 Aside from these questions the state department expects to take up with MT. Wu informally, of course, the possibility of stopping or decreasing the opium traf- fc in China. The state department Is cooperating with the department of agri- culture to frame bill which will pre- vent the trade in the drug so far as possible. It would, however, be only by international agreement that the United c,,6 n0-0n the control of the traffic in China and tho phiIinnines