Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1915-05-14
CHINA FACING WAR;
ULTIMATUM SENT BY JAPAN
GIVES 4a HOURS TO COMPLY
WITH DEMANDS.
MAY END EUROPE'S WAR
If Mikado's Government Enforces
Threat Germany and Great Britain,
as Well as Russia, Will Be Seri-
ousIy Affected.

London, May IA Japanese ulti,
matum to China" cables the Tokyo
correspondent Of the Central News,
grants a delay of forty-eight hours.
Washington, April China has
given her final reply to Japan. she
expects an ultimatum to be presented
n will reject it. Japan then must
make good her threat to use force or
back down.
This, in a nutshell, is the situation
in the far East. 1t has aroused the
liveliest concern in Washington and
London. 1t is gratifying to Berlin,
because If Japan and China become
involved in war the former can no
longer supply munitions OF war to
Russia. Cut off from the Japanese
supply, Russia will not be able to
continue a vigorous offensive against
the Germans md Austrians. Thus,
the allies will be weakened. Nor is
it expected that. the close relations
between the British and Japanese gov
ernments will maintain. The former
certainly will not back it's ally in a
war of aggression against China.
At the moment when Japan IS
seeking to remake the map of h far
East it has leaked out that Paul NJ.
Refnsch, the American minister to
China, will come home the latter part
Of this month. There are reports that
the minister has been recalled and
will not go back to Picking.
Some diplomats go so far as to be-
lieve that a Japanese war on China
would lead to a settlement of the Eu-
ropean strife in order that the powers
may be in a position to take care Of
their valuable interests in the far
East.
In Europe, these same diplomats
say, a deadlock has beef reached in
northern France and Belgium. This
deadlock a be broken only at a
heavy cost in men and money. Ger
many is willing to withdraw from Bel
GUM and northern france and to COM
pensate the former for damages, re-
ceiving in return colonies in Africa.
In view of the larger interests Of
Great Britain in the far East, it is
claimed she would be justified In
stopping the European strife in or
der to give attention to them.
The United States has been using
it's influence with Japan to induce it
not to go to war with China, but so
far as present developments indicate
the result has been nil. Either the
Tokyo government has determined by
force to obtain compliance with it's
so-called modified demands. OF it will
make the threat and then postpone
action. The government here is in
clined to believe that the Japanese
are engaged in a game of bluff. Those
familiar with Japanese diplomacy
scout the possibility Of a surrender
by the Tokyo ministry.
Everything Of an authoritative char
acter that has come from Picking es-
tab1ishes that President Yuan Sht Kai
has decided to accept war rather than
huniliate his country by acceding to
demands which destroy its sovereign
ty. In this attitude he is backed up
by practically all Of the people.
That China alone Ear successfully
resist the Japanese is of course i'm
possible. An army OF soc, 900 men
has been created, but it is short Of
ammunition and two of the three
arms and cartridge factories are at
points accessible to Japanese men-of-
war. 1t is believed in Picking, how
ever, that resistance will be valuable
in arousing the people and that the
great interests of foreign powers will
cause them to intervene. Japan has
a million troops ready for service.