Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1910-07-13
GREAT POWERS
IN A new DEAL
Russo Japanese Treaty Slams
"Open Door" In Our Face
AMERICA FAILS IN FAR EAST

Will Raise No Objection to New
Agreement, Thus Giving Up At
tempt to NeutraIize Manchuria-
Other European Powers Not In Posi-
tion to Force Two Allies to With
draw-American interests Suffer
Washington, July 10.-After a care
full study of its terms. the United
States has decided to raise no obiec-
ton to the new Russo-Japanese agree
ment respecting Manchuria. 1t is
likely that in reaching its decision the
state department has set an example
which will be followed by all the other
powers. Not that the arrangement is
pleasing to this or any other country,
but that the various premiers do not
see what they can do about it..
The agreement specifically pro-
v1des that both parties shall respect
the open-door policy in China and the
integrity of the Chinese Empire. A
stipulation which they can well afford
to make in view of the immense adj
vantages the new arrangement brings
to Russia and Japan in determining
their permanent occupancy and trade
division of Manchuria. It is believed
here that the transaction includes also
a secret agreement in which Russia
and Japan will act together to pre-
serve rights already gained in north
ern China.
The Russo-Japanese treaty 10 doubt
is an indirect but none the less posi-
tive outcome of the proposition of Sec
rotary of the State Knox to neutral
ize the Manchurian railroads, the
ownership of which is divided between
Russia and Japan.
The Knox suggestion was bound to
fail, for the two eastern powers had
gone too far with their plans of rail-
road and trade development to turn
backward. The United States then
urged the promotion of a parallel
trans-Manchurian road. but so far the
scheme has not got beyond paper.
Having determined to hold what
they already have, Russia and Japan
can hardly be expected to view with
c~omplacency any railroad rivalry,
neither is it likely that the other Eu-
ropean powers are in a position to
force the two allies to withdraw from
Manchurian territory. The trade in
terests there, like those of the United
States, are still too small to Justify
overt action of that character.
The practical operation of the new
agreement will be to bring about con-
ditions desired by Russia and Japan
Immediately after their war. It was
then too early for the two enemies to
come to a complete understanding.
although the Russians proposed it at
the time. Japan's alliance with
Great Britain stood in the way and the
Hay open-door policy was still of vital
influence in the east.
With the lapse of time the same re-
suit has been attained with no appre-
cable loss to either power meantime.
1t cannot be denied that the alliance
contains nothing of promise, if Moth
MS l. dCCudI hSIIdC0, u american
trade interests in Manchuria. Open
discrimination, at least, has not been
practiced against the United States,
but distance alone puts US at some dis
advantage, while the Oriental meth
DDS Of competition in themselves are a
unique protection to the nations oc-
cupying the ground and one which
foreigners cannot easily overcome.
The new far east convention signed
by representatives of Russia and ia
pan appears to be but one of a series
of documents by which the two powers
seek to %appOrtion Manchuria for ex-
ploitation by themselves to the excIu-
sion of other nations that have here
tofore insisted on the maintenance of
the open-door policy. 1t marks
another stride in the increasingly APP
parent rapproachement between Russia
and Japan that has come on impercep-
tibly since the period of strain i'm
mediately following the Russo-Japan-
csc war.