The Washington herald., 1912-07-30
At
JAPAN 5 EMBASSY
Representatives of Many Churches
Also Call on Secretary of
State Knox.
DISCUSS TRIAL OF KOREANS

Representatives of Methodist and
Presbyterian missionary organizations
conferred with Secretary Of State Knox
yesterday afternoon for more than an
hour regarding the situation in Korea,
where the trial of more than 100 native
converts to Christianity has caused
great deal of agitation in some quarters
In the United States The situation as
far as the United States government Is
concerned remains unchanged following
the conference. the missionaries neither
asking nor desiring interference by this
government in Korea in any manner
Preceding their cali upon Mr.. Knox,
the party called at the Japanese En-
bassy, TO pay their respects to the Am
bassador Baron Chinda. where they dis
cussed with him matters in Korea and
also expressed their sympathy over the
serious illness of the Emperor of Japan.
y brief call was made at the White
House.
Mr.. Knox made the following state
meat:
The representatives Of the missionary
boards of the Presbyterian Church and
the Methodist Episcopal Church North
and South. composed of DR.. Harvey j.
Brown. secretary of the Presbyterian
Board OF Foreign, Missions: Bishop
Chandler. of the Methodist Church South
Rev. DIR. Frank North. of the Methodist
Church North. and the Rev. f. E. Cooke.
of Nashville. secretary of the Foreign
Mission Board Of the Methodist Church
South. called upon me and stated they
had come to Washington for the Purpose
of calling upon the japanese Ambassador
to express their deep interest and concern
about the Korean Christians who were
under arrest in Korea, charged with con-
spiracy against the life of the governor
general. and also to express to the Jap
anese Ambassador their deep sympathy
with him and the people of Japan be-
cause OF the serious illness of the En-
peror.
Only Call of Courtesy.
Their call at the State Department
was partly a call of courtesy. and was
also to inform the department that. re-
ports to the contrary, they had no COM
plant to make TO the department arising
out OF the Korean situation for diplo-
matte action upon the part Of this gov
ernment. They said, however. that they
would be glad to have the departme Mt
advise them as TO what they should do
in the interest OF their Korean friends
involved in this trouble. to which I re-
piled that they had been pursuing the
correct course. IN my Judgment, by man.
ifestlng their solCitude for their friends
TO the japanese government through the
Japanese Ambassador"
1t is understood that the missionaries
have not the slightest intention OF giving
any encouragement to attempts to arouse
prejudice against the japanese govern
ment in this matter. II is recognized by
them that the japanese are bound to pro-
tect the lives of their officials in Korea,
and that IL is not wise for the mission
aries to attempt to interfere with the
machinery for administering justice in
Korea Thus far. neither the person nor
the property Of any missionary has been
in any way menaCed. and assurance is
had from the Japanese government that
all that is possible will be done for the
American missionaries and other Chris
tians in Korea.