The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-03-31
JAPAN REFUSES TO REFER MAN
CHURlAN MATTER TO THE
HAGUE COURT.
A STATEMENT IS ISSUED
ernment Expresses Surprise That
Sister Nation Should Suggest Such
Course-Hints That Proposal Is
Considered as an Affront.

Toxic, March 30.-The Japanese
positive terms that il is unable to az
cede to the suggestions of Chlna tnat
pending questions with regard to Man
churia be referred to The Hague fer
arbitration. 1t maintains ,har this
suggestion shows a lack of courtesy
ano it attributes the Chimes change
Ct attitude on this matter to "malign
influences"
Answering request for an express
sion of the views of the government
concerning China's proposal that the
Manchurian questions be referred to
The Hague, the foreign office today
gave out the following carefully word
ed statement:
Several questions between Japan
and China of more or less Importance
with reference to Manchuria remain
unadjusted. Some are complicated,
but all readily could be made to yield
to the diplomatic process of give and
take.
Japan, fully appreciating the ad-
vantages of removing all causes of
misunderstanding from her relations
with her neighbors, made proposals to
China looking to the final settlement
of outstanding differences. These
proposals were framed in a spirit of
consideration and conciliation. and
were in no sense an ultimatum. Japan
expected that the terms offered would
serve as a basis of negotiations or as
points of departure for reciprocal con-
cessions and accommodations
Malign influences.
China at first apparently accepted
Japans friendly overtures in the spirit
in which they were rendered, but ma
lign influences ultimately were permit
ted to prevail and, without discussing
the questions or making any counter
proposals. China categorically rejected
Japan's offer and suggested recourse
to The Hague.
I'm adopting this extraordinary
course. China is guilty not only of
slight courtesy to Japan, but has dis
regarded one of the expressed provi-
sions of The Hague convention and
has completely reversed the usual
course Of procedure. Article Al of
The Hague convention declares that
the court is maintained for the object
of facilitating recourse to arbitration
of international differences impossible
to settle by diplomacy
Not Appealed To.
"In the present case the resources
of diplomacy have not even been ap-
pealed to. The questions in dispute
have not been made the subject Of
full detailed discussion between the
two governments and no attempt has
been made to compose the differences
or ascertain how far they are ir-
reconcilable.
1.-THE questions are not ripe for such
references; diplomatic effort would
first have to be exhausted and the
exact points at issue ascertained and
specified.
"The controversy covers wide
range of interests and calls for a cor
respondingly wide range of accommo-
dation. The powers Immediately con-
cerned have plenty of authority to
pool all issues If necessary and are
alone competent to settle the questions
in satisfactory manner and no So
luton not satisfactory to all concerned
will stand the test of time and the
stress of competing interests.
TT is, therefore. extremely unfortu-
nate that China has allowed herself
to be persuaded to make the wholly
impracticable suggestion of arbitca-
tion."