Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-30
PLAY NEUTRAL ROLE.
United States Will Not Mix in
Italian-Turko War.
FEW INTERESTS IN TRIPOLI
Consul Wood, So Far as Known. Only
American There.
NO NOTIFICATION OF WAR
Proclamation Of American Neutral
ity Likely to Await Official
Word of Hostilities.
FEW INTERESTS IN TRIPOLI
NO NOTIFICATION OF WAR

1t is officially declared that the United
States will observe strict neutrality in
the Italian-Turko imbroglio and will
keep entirely clear of the pending strug-
gle for domination in Africa. 1t is dis
tinctly asserted at the State Depart
ment that the United States has abso-
lutely no political interest in that part
of the world. 1t is admitted, however.
that from the highly advanced position
the United States has taken in advo-
cacy of the peaceful settlement of in
ternational disputes, this government can
only look with regret upon this return
to barbarous means of adjusting inter-
national issues.
The few cablegrams that were re-
ceived at the State Department over
night from the American diplomatic and
consular officers at and near the seat
of war in the Mediterranean were so
vague and the information contained
came to the Senders of the dispatches
from such irregular sources that acting
Secretary Adee did not care to give them
publicity today
No Official knowledge.
Officially. the State Department does
not know that a state of war actually
exists between Italy and Turkey; that is,
such a condition as international law
recognizes alone warranting the adop-
ton of steps by friendly governments to
Of blockades. Therefore, nothing has yet
beOl done by the department toward
actually issuing the proclamation of neu-
trality usual in cases of war between
third parties. The matter. however. is
the subject Of consideration by the So
licitor of the State Department, who Is
charged with the duty of preparing the
text of the proclamation. and by the
consular bureau, which must undertake
Its circulation among the various Ameri-
can consular offices throughout the world
This neutrality proclamation will re-
quire the signature Of President Taft and
must be counterSigned by Secretary Knox
AS both of these officials are absent from
the issue of the proclamation on that ac-
count, even after the decision has been
reached to give IL currency.
However. it is said at the State Depart-
ment that there is no need for undue
haste in the matter. as the United States
has no shipping a1oat in the troubled
waters of the Mediterranean likely to he
injuriously affected by a blockade of
Tripoltan ports.
Proclamation Need Not Wait.
In answer to the direct question as to
whether such a neutrality proclamation
could be issued i'm the absence of a for
NAL notice of a declaration of war. it was
said at the State Department that this
could be done If the war assumed a
fragrant state. That did not mean that
1t must be outrageous, but that il must
be perfectly obvious that hostilities were
in full swing.
The State Department has not vet re-
ceived the request of the Ottoman gov
eminent that the United States underta &c
to care for the interests of Turkish sub
jects in Italy during the war 1t is not
known whether that request would come
through Ambassador Rockhil at Con-
stantinople Or through Zia Bey, the Turi-
ish ambassador to the United States. who
is now at Bellport, l.. |. While such re-
quests are about as welcome as an in
Fltation to act as pallbearer. the obi
cation TO accept the charge is equally
Dinding in either case. neutral nation
is sometimes placed in an embarrassing
situation by undertaking such a duty, as
was case when the United States found
itself charged with looking after the safe
ty OF Peruvians in Chile and Chileans in
Peru during a war between the TWO
South American republics.
1t is not believed, however that there
VIII be any hesitation in accepting thu
charge to look after Turks i'm the Italian
possessions and to give room for the
diplomatic and consular papers Of the
Turkish embassy In Rome and of the
turkish consulates in Italian ports in the
United States embassy and consulates
Consider Straus Proposal.
II was said at the State Department
today that the suggestion of Oscar
Straus. former American ambassador Ia
Turkey. that the United States should
come forward at this juncture with an
offer to mediate under the terms of Ar
ticle III of The Hague convention is still
under consideration. 1t is evident that
such consideration will be OF the most
mature character and that no action may
be expected unless at least one of the
principals to the present war should give
MIR. Straus idea practical form by ap-
pealing directly to Washington. In that
case IL seems highly probable the State
Department would seek TO. interest the
great neutral powers Of Europe i'm a Joint
effort to bring pressure to bear upon the
beIicerents 10 cease hostilities and sub
init their issues to arbitration.
There very few Americans in
Tripoi and the trade OF the United
States with that country is comparative
~ insignificant. Outside of John &.
Of I-p;fo