The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1915-05-06
CHINA FORTIF|ES
AGAINST THE JAPS
100000 TROOPS ARE coNcENTRAr
ED AT PEkING.
THEY ARE SHORT OF AMMUNITION
Special Police and Military Precau-
tons Have Been Taken Through.
out the City. Missionaries are
in No Danger as Yet

Picking, May MILITARY prepare,
tons are being made for the defense
of Picking.
According to Chinese officials, whose
statements have been corroborated in
other circles, the government is max
ing no preparations elsewhere than at
the capital for defense, considering
that the Chinese will be unable to OPP.
pose the Japanese should they make
an attack.
| 1t is asserted in high quarters that
100000 troops have been concentrated
In the environs of Picking, but with
sufflcient ammunition for only a brief
resistance.
Special police and military precau-
lions have been taken throughout the
city, especially, around the Winter
Palace, where President Yuan Shi Kai
resides. The officials declare that
they are suspicious that the Japanese
may attempt a repetition of the Kof-
can coup d'etat.
The Japanese legation, it is said, no.
tilted the Japanese yesterday to pre-
pare to leave Picking, and many wom-
en- and children are getting ready to
depart.
The situation is considered aWk-
ward for some of the foreign legations
Especially those whose countries sym.
pathise with the Chinese, but none of
them could oppose the entry of the
Japanese into Picking.
kilograms received here from Muk.
den say that the Japanese bank and
postotfice there have suspended bust.
ness and that the Japanese reservists
have been called to the colors.
DR.. Paul S. Reinsch, the United
States minister here, expresses the
opinion that the missionaries ami 9th
er Americans in the interior are in
no danger whatever. He says the Chi
nese government will preserve order
I in the region over which the Chinese
hold control
In spite of the belief which had pre-
vailed in China for many years that
Japan coveted control of the country,
considerable surprise was caused by
the report that Japan intended to is
sue an untimatum to the government
as an OutgrOwth of China's refusal to
concede all of Japan's demands.
1t is contended that the Chinese
have conceded virtually all the arti.
Giles contained in the eleven demands
made upon them and enumerated to
the powers, and a high official said
yesterday that it was not believed that
Japan would dare enforce those con-
tanned in group S.
utimatum Is Approved.
Toxic. May 5.-The Yomiuri. in an
extra edition, declares that the elder
statesmen, after listening to lengthy
explanations from Premier Okuma
and Foreign Minister Kate, have ap.
proved a project to send an ultima.
tum to China.
Continuing, the Yomiuri says that
the concessions made by Japan, par
ticularly the restoration of Kaio-Chau
to China, had created the belief that
China was satisfied and that the mat
ter would be arranged peacefully.
There is an impression now that
Yuan Shi Kai, president of China, de-
sres an ultimatum in order to justify
China's eventual acceptance.
According to the Hochi Shimbun.
martial law will be proclaimed in
south Manchuria simultaneously with
the issuance of the ultimatum.
No U. S.-Britain Pact.
London, May 5.-The United States
and Great Britain have entered into
no formal negotiations on the subject
of Japan'S demands on China. An
nouncement to this effect was made
in the house of commons by the Brit
ish foreign minister, Sir Edward
Grey. The foreign minister added
that the only communication of the
sort between the American and Brit
ish governments had been a brief
and formal conversation in February
between Ambassador Page and a
representative of Great Britain.
U. S. Watching Events.
Washington, May O. While off.
Gals read with the deepest interest
the press dispatches from Toxic fore
shadowing an ultimatum to China to
secure an acceptance of the demands
made on the latter country, there
still is a well-defined belief here that
the resources of diplomacy have by
no means been exhausted.
Whether an ultimatum would be
sent at once by Japan and the effect
in Peking of the Japanese newspaper
utterances was a matter of wide
speculation among well.informed OBJ.
servers.
President Wilson early in the day
expressed the belief that the situa-
ton would soon clarity itself, but
said he had heard OF no ultimatum.
He set at rest reports that China had
made an appeal to the United States
for moral assistance by declaring
them unfounded. While declining
to discuss details, he indicated that
the American government was OBJ
serving very closely the progress OF