Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-06
MAY HAVE OFFENDED
Utterances of Minister Crane
Probably Objected To.
ALLEGED CAUSE OF RECALL
Gossip Because of Order From the
State Department.
NOBODY CERTAIN OF THE FACTS
Authority for Statement That Min
lister to China Is Not to
Be Reproved.

The unexplained recall to Washington
of Charles r. Crane, the newly appointed
United States minister to China, just rs
he was about to board Pacific steam
ship al San Francisco. continues to eX-
cite the keenest interest in diplomatic and
official circles The perfunctory eXplana-
ton that he was summoned back to
Washington to receive additional instruc-
tons regarding his mission is not gen
orally accepted as meeting the actual
facts in the case. That impression is
based on the belief that any additional in
structions could easily have been tor
warded to Mr.. Crane by mail or by tele-
graph If their Importance justified it.
1t was argued. also, that If any change
in the policy of the United States with re-
gard to the far-eastern question. lnvolv-
ing United States interests in China. had
been made since Mr.. Crane received his
original instructions at the State Depart
ment. President Taft. who is now in San
Francisco. would be entirely cognizant of
it and easily could impart the Information
to Mr.. Crane in that city.
There have been no significant develop
ments in Chinese or in japanese affairs
since the departure of Mr.. Crane from
this city, far as the public has been
in formed. This statement is intended to
apply to the Hankow railroad loan and
the recent treaty between China and
Japan.
One Explanation Made.
What has come to be regarded as the
most plausible explanation OF the incident
is that Secretary Knox is somewhat dis
satisfied over the frank and free manner
in which Minister Crane has publicly
discussed the policy OF the United States
toward China. and the relations political
,;n1 of Jnr nd ut
ernments with China.
To put it bluntly, the new minister
is accused OF talking too much. 1t is
alleged that some of his public utter
anccs have embarrassed the adrnlnlstra-
ton as being likely to interfere with
the successful conduct of negotiations,
pending and prospective, designed to
secure the strict enforcement of what
is known as the open door policy.
As an inst lrce of the alleged indis-
erection of mister Crane. the following
statements made by him at recent
banquet of the American Asiatlc Asso-
citation in New York city in reference
to the Hankow railroad loan. cited:
"Of course. in this development China
will require much foreign material, and
in a perfectly friendly and legitimate
way Secretary Knox has determined that
we shall have our share.
1T may not always be necessary to
repeat the new form of hold-up which
our State Department has recently been
so successfully engaged in of forcing
money on China
Alleged to Be Offensive.
In his address on that occasion Mr..
Crane also said other things that are
calculated to hurt the feelings of sew
eral European and Asiatic governments.
After remarking that the outcome of
the war between Russia and Japan
had given Asia the greatest moral
shock it had felt in centuries. he said:
The war was followed by the up
rising in Russia. The uprising in Rus
STA was followed by the revolution In
Turkey and the revolution in Turkey
bv the revolution in Persia, and these
were all followed with a feeling OF
great unrest through India
Although there may be no basis for the
impression that the public utterance OF
these sentiments is resented by Secretary
Knox. there certainly is lot of gossip In
that direction. If the report Is true no
surprise would be felt II Mr.. Crane should
recall his acceptance OF the Chinese mis-
sion.
On the other hand. there is good author
ity for the statement that there are no
Iirreconcilable differences between Minister
Crane and the officials of the administra-
ton and that he will undoubtedly go to
;ryi, ll1-, ,1a na1