New-York tribune., 1910-02-26
i. s. STANDS ALONE
PL4NS IN CHINA NAY
Fail.
Secretary Knor Not Likely to
Accept Russia Counter
Proposal.
From The Tribune Bureau.

Washington. Feb. 25.1The Secretary
of State to-day received the reply
of the Russian government to mis- pro-
pcsal to the powers to participate in
tie loan for the construction OF rail-
road from Chinchowfu to Tsitsihar and
Algun. The reply suggests the financ-
Ing of another line further west than
that of the proposed road, striking the
Trans siberian road near the Baikal
line and traversing the provinces of
ursa and kiakta. In effect, the reply
IS a rejection of the Aisun-C -Chinchowfu
plan.
Inc counter proposal has been taken
under consideration by the State De-
partment. but it is not probable that ii
VIII be favorably received It would
mean the abandonment of the loan al
ready agreed to by China with The Brit
ish- and American capitalists. and the
opening OF negotiations with the i'm
perial government for another project.
the success of which must still depend
On the cooperation ~of the powers.
Unless Secretary Knox takes the ag-
eressive attitude of attempting to
carry out the project now under con-
sideraticn for the building of the .Aigun
line, despite the refusal. of Russia to
enter into the undertaking and the op
position of Great Britain. the American
plan regarding the Chinese railroads
will not matetialize. Secretary Knox
agreed to support the American finan-
ciers only on the condition that Great
lie A;,ol> ~
British firm interested N the loan and
that the other powers be invited to
share. =.
Great Britain, it Will be recalled. made
her consent to further the plan condi
tional on the approval of both Russia
and Japan, and as this has been re-
fused in the case Of Russia the United
States is left the sole sponsor for the
scheme.
The attitude of Great Britain has been
the unknown quantity in the recent ex-
change of views on the Manchurian
railroads. 1t is now evident that Great
Britain is not inclined to further any
rlan which will operate to bring Russia
and Japan closer together. An under
standing between them would consti-
tute the most serious problem confront
ing both China itself and the Western
powers which are striving to maintain
the open door. It is apparent that
Great Britain purposes to keep up her
friendship for Japan. even at the risk
of being misunderstood by the other
powers, in order that she may maintain
her position as the great and good friend
of Japan and the logical intermediary
between those powers, a position which
British diplomatists regard the United
States as having voluntarily relin-
Quished.
The only apparent benefit of the Knox
proposal for the naturalization of the
Manchurian roads is. as one diplomatist
it, that the other countries
have been obliged to show their hands
i'll China. 1t is evident that the two
countries most concerned, Russia and
Japan, are not willing to sacrifice the
they enjoy for the principle
of the open door. At the same time,
England is willing to make sacrifices to
retain Japan's +eood villa matter for
serious considera ton in the United
States now that questions between the
two countries are on the verge of COM
ing to an issue. Hereafter the United
States Will have at least a clearer
of the attitude of the powers
regarding China and the problems of
the Far East.