The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-10-12
CRANES SCALP MAY BE TAKEN Holds Conference With
 Mir. Knox. MINISTER TALKED TOO MUCH Charged With Revealing Diplomatic
 Secrets. Publication in Chicago Paper May Give Powers Inkhnx of America's
 Position in Far Eastern
 Situation.
MINISTER TALKED TOO MUCH

probably will see the determination of the question whether Charles F. Crane will be requested to resign his recent ly acquired office of Minitser of the United States to China. or will be per- mitted to resume, in that capacity. his journey to Pekin. while he was almost in the act of sailing from San Francisco when temporarily summoned by Secrs- tary of State to return forthwith to Washington and explain his alleged re- sponsibility for the. disclosure in a newspaper dispatch of supposedly con- fldential information about the atti- tude of the United States about the new treaty between Japan and China.
 Sepuichral silence shrouded the situ- ation all today. Secretary Knox was practically inaccessible; other State Department officials diselaimed any knowledge of the state of affairs. and MT. Crane himself was virtually dumb. Notwithstanding the general expecta- tion that he would have a decisive con- ference at noon with the Secretary, he did not call at the department, nor, so far as can be learned. did he have any conference with Mir. Knox at his home.
 It came at last to be believed that the whole business has been referred by Secretary Knox to President Taft. who was at Los Angeles. It was sup posed. in fact that teiegrams had been sent to the President last night, after the extended conference at Secretary Knox's house, which followed almost immediately upon MT. Cranes arrival here from San Francisco. It Is assum- ed also that Mir. Knox informed the President of all the material facts in Mir. Cranes case with his own views upon the subject.
 The indications tonight pointed in this direction and the matter Is ex- pected to remain in statu ai0 pending receipts of advlces from the President who, it must be remembered, Is, in of both the Secretary of State and the dSfear .und~rsfsndine. The interview at Mfr. Knoxs house last night, in which participated Mir :. Knox. Mir. Crane and William NJ Hoyt. special counsel of the depar rtment. is believed to have resulted in a clear Cranes connection with the publication whose disclosures the state Depart ment officials so strongly deprecated.
 There remains apparently the ques- tion whether Mir. Cranes diplomatic discretion has suffered so great an in- jury in the estimation of officials un- der whom his delicate mission to China would be performed. as to destroy his usefulness there.
 Whatever may be the outcome in Mir. Cranes case, 1t is felt at the depart ment that the interests of this Govern men in China are for the interim In excellent hands, Mir. Fletcher. the charge now in command there, having on several occasions demonstrated his capacity for good work.
 There Is, of course, vast deal Of discussion here in connection with the Crane incident, regarding the possible effect upon the relations, especially of the United States and Japan, of the premature announcement of protest of this government against the material concessions, which in the new treaties. China has given to Japan in Manchuria, ivolving as the State Department is said to view them. contravention of both the "open door policy" and the declaration made by Japan in the Portsmouth treaty with Russia. as to non-interference with Chinese develop ment In Manchuria.
 Students of the situation pointed out today that there could arise no conflict with Japan In this matter. since there was no thought of any protest by the United States alone: if made at all, 1t would be in conjunction with the other leading powers. In such an event it would be unlikely, they argued. that China would be averse to a recastlnE of these treaties in the direction of great CT liberty for herself and as for Japan she could hardly afford to resist a united representation on the part of a number of great powers to the effect that these treaties carried with them a violation of her own pledges as em- bodied In the treaty of Portsmouth.
 Tn a word. 1t Is believed in diplo- matic circles that tho Crane matter is of no serious moment as affecting any international question save as the dis- closures referred to may have prema- turely showed the hand" of the State Department in the matter of these treaties.
 The matter is generally rega rded as one chiefly personal to Mir. Crane and embodying almost exclusively the ques- tion whether he has exhibited lack of that discretion which in the eyes of the diplomatic world is a first essential In the representation of great gov ernment at such center of interna- tional interest as the capital of China MT. Crane returned to his hotel shortly before midnight after spend ing the evening in company with Wal ter L. Fisher. president of the City Club of Chicago.
 Mir. Crane declared that nothing | had occurred during the day to alter his plans for sailing on the Korea for Pekin on the 20th and that he fully expected to do so
 MT. Crane said that he had not | seen Secretary of, State Knox nor any other government official regarding his case during the evening. but rath- CT expected to see the secretary of state tomorrow.
 The presence here at this time of MP Fisher. the latter saij. had no connection whatever with Mir. Cranes case. Asked If he believed that MT, Crane would go 10 his post at Pekin. Mir. Fisher replied:
 You know that 1t took a great deal of pressure from the government and much consideration on Mir. Crane's part before he decided to accept the ministership to China. I do not think therefore that 1t makes much differ ence, to him whether he goes to China or not"