Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-07-12
FOR SOME TIME
UNCLE GAM WOULD BE LOCK.
I'D OUT OF MANchURiA.
RUssO.JAP TREATY
CEMENTs TWO NATIONS
Open Door Has in Reality Net Existed
for Some Time-Prospects Of War
Between Russia and Japan Disap-
pear-knox Blamed for Loss Of
Prestige of United States.
Especial Correspondence.l


Washington, July 12.-Diplomats. Of
fcials and students of the situation in
the far east are giving the most care
full attention to the recent convention
signed by Russia and Japan with re-
spect to Manchuria- They are con-
WINGED that its effects are going to be
far-reachlng, SO far-reachinB, in fact,
as scarcely to be measurable at this
time. Some of the effects Of the agree
ment, which is an effort to secure the
exploitation of Manchuria to Russia
and Japan and to shut out other ma
tons, are:
The open door" in the far east is
ended, so far as Manchuria is con-
cerned.
Peace for an indefinite period seems
to be assured between Russia and
Japan.
American interests in Manchuria are
almost certain to suffer in the future
more than they have in the past.
Japan will be in some measure left
free to turn her attention more ag-
gressively than ever to extending her
influence in other parts Of the far east.
How this will affect her relations with
America remains to be seen.
No Open Door There.
It has been pretty clear here for
some time that the open door" III
Manchuria was nothing more than a
phrase. From time to time, the state
department has insisted that it was
still existent but there has been plenty
of information otherwise. American
merchants, it is wel-known, has been
Disseminated against almost since the
end OF the Russo-Japanese war. The
state department has understood this
but has not been willing to admit
openly that the "open door" was be-
ing violated. This was for the obvious
reason that while the department I'M
derstood that American interests We're
not immune from discrimination in
Manchuria, especially on the part of
the Japanese, it did not wish in prin-
ciple to admit that the open door"
there was a dead letter.
While 1t has been apparent for a
long time that the open door" in Man
churia was gradually closing, 1t has
been more plain than ever since the
complete failure Of the project of Sec
IGldIy Ol SIStlS 1AlcOA lOt til0 llSoS ~ GA
ization OF the roads In Mauchuria.
given America a large hand in Man
churian affairs bnt it is now clear that
1t never stood the slightest show Of
being successful and that the rapidly
growing rapprochement Of Russia and
Japan in the far east made it an i'm
possibility. That these nations would
warmth tho control
of the transportation facilities in
Manchupia to pass in part into other
hands In view Of their designs to domi-
nate that country, at least TO dominate
it in a commercial sense, is even more
apparent now than it was when Secre-
tary Knox preached the policy Of neu-
tralizat ton of the railroads.
War Prospects Disappear.
For long time after the close of the
war in the far east, there was a strong
impression here that another clash be-
tween Russia and japan was newt
able. This has been the view Of army
and navy officers and it has been much
talked in army and navy circles. Not
long ago, high army officer was
heard to predict that there would be
another war between Russia and Japan
in five years But the specter of an
other great conflict in the far east.
with other such battles as Mukden and
Lao Yang, is apparently now dissipat-
ed That Russia and Japan have drawn
so closely together with respect to
aims in the far east that they are not
in danger of colliding, Is the feeling
Of those who have given attention 10
the recent agreement. If these two
nations go to war again, it Is likely TO
be far in the future. What this means
to the development Of the far east 1t Is
not easy to exaggerate From time 10
time, consular and other advices show
that Russia is rushing colonists into
eastern Siberia at a most remarkable
rate. The government is offering lands
to these eolonists at easy terms.
inducements which are fatter1ng
to the poor Russian peasants are
held out. The effect OF Iii this IS that
there has been going on in Russia and
Siberia for many months an exodus
from Russia into eastern Siberia that
resent les in many respects the move
ment of settlers from the east into our
own west. or rather that movement as
it was some years ago. Fortihed by
this wholesale colonization of sturdy
people, 1t looked for time as If Rus
STA were building up in eastern Siberia
a vast country settled by agricultural
pioneers who when the time came
would constitute not only people out
of which great armies would be re-
cruited but on the products of whose
farms great armies would be sustained.
And while the movement goes on and
no doubt will go on for years to come,
it looks now as if the military signf-
ficance which has been SO widely at
tached to it would now become less i'm
portant than it seemed to be for a
time Russia is evidently going to be
left to pursue peaceful designs in the