The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-10-12
Problem for Taft Is to Be Settled and Answer Wired
 to Washington
NO ONE KNOWS EXACT
 STATUS OF THE AFFAIR
While 1t Is Believed that MT. Crane Has Committed lndiscretions 1t Remains to be Seen Wheth-
 CT He Will Be Retained.

Washington, October 1.-Tomorrow probably will see the determination of the question whether Charles R. Crane will be requested to resign his recently acquired office of minister of the United State to China, or will be permitted to resume, in that capacity, his journey to PelSin, whither he was almost in the act of sailing from San Francisco when per emptory summoned by Secretary of State Knox to return forthwith to Washington and explain his alleged responsibility for the disclosure in a newspaper dispatch of supposed confidential information about the attitude of the United States about the treaty between Japan and China.
 SepuIchral silence surrounded the situ- ation all day today; Secretary Knox was practically inaccessible; other state de- partment officials disclskmed any knowl- edge of the state of affairs and MT Crane himself was virtually dumb. Notwith- standing the general expectation that he would have decisive conference 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 MT. Knox at his home.
 Referred to Taft.
 Ii came at last to be believed that the whole business has been referred by Sec yetary Knox to President Taft, who was kt Los Angeles today; it was supposed, in fact that telegrams had been sent to the President last night, after the extend- ed conference at MT. Knoxs house, which followed almost immediately upon MT Ca, TNro onaiCn 1t is assumed also that MT Knox inform ed the President of all the material facts In Mr Cranes case, together with his own views upon the subject. All the in- dications tonight pointed in this direc- tion and the matter Is expected to re- main in status quo pending receipt of ad- vices from the President, who, it must be remembered, is, in the last analysis, the official superior of both the Secretary of State and the minister to China.
 The interview at MT Knox's house last night in which participated MT. Knox, MT Crane and William M. Hoyt, special coun- sel of the department is believed to have resulted in a clear understanding with respect to MT. Cranes connection with inc publication, whose disclosures the state department officials so strongly dep recated.
 Question of Discretion.
 There remains apparently the question whether MT. Cranes diplomatic discretion has suffered so great an injury in the estimation of officials under whom his delicate mission at China would be per formed as to destroy his usefulness there
 Whatever may be the outcome in MT. Cranes case 1t is felt at the department that the interests of this government in China are for the interim in excellent hands, MT. Fletcher, the charge now Tn command there, having on several occa- sions demonstrated his capacity for good work.
 There Is, of course, a vast deal of dis cusson here in connection with the Crane incident, regarding the possible effect OH the relations especially of the United States and Japan, of the premature an- nouncement of prospect of his gov ernment protesting against the material concessions which, in the new treaty China has given to Japan in Manehura involving, 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 development in Manchuria.
 No Conflict With Japan.
 Students of the situation pointed out today that there would 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, it would be in conjunction with the other leading powers. In such an event, it would be unlikely, they argue, that China would be averse to recasting of these treaties in the direction of greater liberty for herself, and as for Japan, she could hardly afford to resist a united represep- tation on the part of a number of the great powers to the effect that these treaties carried with them a violation of her own pledges as embodied in the treaty of Portsmouth.
 In word, it is believed in diplomatic circles that the Crane matter Is of no serious moment, as affecting any inter- national question save as the disclosures referred to may have prematurely 'showed the hand of the state depart ment in the matter of these treaties. The matter is generally regarded as one chiefly personal to Mir. Crane and embodying almost exclusively the question whether he has exhibited a lack of that discretion which in the eyes of the diplomatic world is a first essential in the representative If a great government at such center of international interest the capital of China.
 Crane Talks of Trip.
 MT Crane returned to his hotel shortly before midnight after spending the even ing in company with Walter l.. Fisher, president of the City club of Chicago. Mir Crane declared that nothing had oc- cured during the day 10 alter HIS Piahs for sailing on the Corea for Pekin on the 2oth, and that he fully expected to do so.
 A dozen or more newspaper correspond- ants were at the hotel to meet MT. Crane tonight. He greeted them cordially aN- ing if they had any news to impart to him and stating that he had heard none himself MT. Crane said that he had not seen Secretary of State Knox nor any other government official regarding his case during the evening, but rather ex-