Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-08
Secretary Knox Announces At
titude of This Country.
WITH THE POWERS
Reply to the Inquiry of the Ger.
man Ambassador.
CoUNTRY's INTEGRITY DESIRED
Contributions by individuals to As
sist Revolutionary Movements
Will Be Viewed With Disfavor.

Without power, under the existing
| neutrality law, to prevent contributions
of money by individuals to assist in
revolutionary movements, the United
States government has gone as far as
possible toward making investments of
that character Improbable and risky
Hereafter any American citizen or cor
poration tempted to advance money to
either faction in a revolutionary move
ment will do so at his own peril, and
with the certainty that his own govern
ment will not stand behind him in eff
forts he may make to secure the re-
payment Of his loan.
That doctrine is clearly expounded in
note addressed by Secretary Knox to
Count Won Bernstorff, the German am
basador at this capital. in connection
with the undertaking of the powers to
act jointly in dealing with the present
delicate Chinese situation.
The note itself, while addressed to
Count Won Bernstorff In answer to an in
quiry from him in behalf of his govern
ment as to the attitude and general i'm
pressions of the government of the United
States in regard to conditions in. China,
was sent also to the governments of
France. Great Britain. Italy, Japan and
Russia for their information. 1t was
-,
fact that the American government all
along has been endeavoring to keep the
powers united in their action regarding
China and to protect the integrity of that
country, and so far with marked success.
Note to German Ambassador.
The text Of the note to the. German
ambassador. which marks distinct ad-
vance in the policy Of altruistic concert
of action in dealing with important for
eign problems, is as follows:
I'm reply to your note of the 31st
ultimo, requesting information as to the
attitude Of the government of the United
States with regard to conditions IN
China, have the honor to state that
since the beginning Of the present dis
turbances this government has from time
to time, as occasion arose, exchanged
views with the other interested powers
particularly France, Great Britain. Italy.
Japan and Russia, as well as the impe-
rial German gOvernment-as to what
course was expedient for the protection
OF the common interests.
Concert of the Powers.
From these exchanges it has been
quite clear that all the powers concerned
were as one as to the wisdom Of main
tanning the policy of concerted atcion in
the circumstances.
This unanimity of view found con-
crete expression in the identic note pre-
scented by the representatives Of France,
Great Britain, Germany, Japan. Russia
and the United States simultaneously to
the peace commissioners at Shanghai
December 20, as well as In cooperative
measures taken for the protection of
their common interests throughout China
THE advices received by this govern
ment. moreover, show that the other
governments concerned had likewise
mad similar exchanges of views, and that
official statements Of policy to the same
effect have appeared in the public press
of various countries.
ut is therefore evident to this gov
eminent that all the powers have up to
the present. by common consent, not
only refrained from Independent action
and from intervening in China's internal
affairs, but have acted in full accord
with their mutual assurances that they
would respect it's integrity and SOW
ereignty.
No Reason for Intervention.
There happily has thus far been no
reason for interference on the part of the
foreign powers, inasmuch as both I'M
perialists and republicans have guaran-
teed the life and property Of the foreign
population. and the latest reports tend to
strengthen the belief that it is improbable
that future developments will necessita .e
such interference. If. however, contrary
to all expectations, further steps should
prove necessary, this government is firm
in the conviction that the policy of con-
certed action after full consultation by
the powers should and would be main
tanned in order to exclude from the be-
ginning all possible Observation-Disclosures.
Contributions of Individuals.
Moreover. this government has felt it
to be a corollary of the policy Of strict
neutrality hitherto pursued by common
accord with respect to loans to China to
look with disfavor upon loans by its ma
tionals unless assured that such loans
would be of neutral effect as between the
contending factions, as it has also felt
that the present was the occasion where
there might be invoked with peculiar ap
propriateness the principle of lending gov
ernments deterring their nationals from
making loans not approved as to their
broad policy by their own governments
in consultation with the other interested
powers"
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