Evening star., 1915-02-27
Representatives of 'Big Busi-
ness" in U. S. Said to Plan
Formal Protest.
PLEA FOR CONTINUANCE
OF "OPEN-DOOR" POLICY
Uneasiness Expressed Regarding At
titude of the American
Administration.


United States, in the realm of what
is popularity known as Big Business
lit was reported today, are about to
engage in contest with the Japanese
government and other governments in
terested to prevent China from ac-
ceding to the demands that Japan
has recently made upon China.
Counsel for the Standard Oil Com
pany of New York, corporation with
s15,000.000 capital. and which is only
one of the offshoots of the old Stand
ard Oil Company. it is said. are ex-
hibiting considerable uneasiness as to
what, IL any, action the administration
here intends to take with reference to
Japan's demands upon China, so far
|as these demands may conflict with
what has been traditionally known as
the "open-door" policy of the United
States as to China.
This information was obtained from
New York visitors to the capital by a
reporter of The Star today, with the
added information that not only has
the Standard Oil Company of New
York made strong representations to
the State Department against the Jap
anese demands upon China, but that a
great tobacco company, affiliated with
has made or is about to make similar
representations to the department, de-
claring that if the Japanese demands
are acceded to by China their business
interests and the business interests of
many other American companies and
associates of American companies in
China will greatly suffer.
No Protests Under Consideration.
At the State Department today it
was said no protests from big busi-
ness concerns have yet been under
consideration there in connection with
Japan's demands upon China. 1t was
said at the department that the activi-
ties of this branch of the government
at the present time are principally con-
in the demands as they were reported
to the United States government.
France, Great Britain, Russia and the
United States received through their
respective embassies the text of eleven
Of the japanese demands upon China,
but newspaper reports from China are
to the effect that Japan has actually
made twenty-three and not eleven de-
mands, and that the other twelve have
been kept secret An effort is being
made at the State Department to ascer-
tain if there are twelve additional
demands that have not been commune
Gated to the United States, and. If SO,
what they contain
1t was said in high official circles
here today that there is no reason to
suppose that the Wilson administration
will alter the time-honored open door"
policy of the United States as to Chi
nese affairs. In advance of actual ac-
tion, it was pointed out. nothing can be
said as to what the United States gov
ernment may do or not do in regard to
Japan's demands upon the Chinese re-
public. 1t is admitted that the sub
consideration" but that Is the most
that can be said at this time. beyond
the fact that if attorneys for big husi-
ness" concerns jump to the conclusion
that the ADMINISTRATION is to ignore
the effect of the Japanese demands in
case they are acceded to by China or
ignore the open door" policy long ad-
hered to by the United States as to
China the conclusion is unwarranted.
Regarding Protest and Inquiry.
It was reported last week that the
United States would send protest to
Japan against the demands and asking
as to Japan's intentions in China. 1t
was denied that that would be done.
Today it was reported that such pro-
test and inquiry had already been sent,
but at the State Department today it
is again denied that such protest had
been sent.
Commercial opportunities for Ameri-
cans and American companies in China
are believed by travellers returning
from that country to be very great
since the formation of the Chinese re-
public Rev. DIR. Arthur Mason Sher-
man MISSIONARY. who recently ar
rived in Washington. reported that a
great tobacco company had recently
distributed in China, free of cost, as
samples, 100000 packages of an
American cigarette. and that Chinese
boys are now smoking American cigar
cites 1t was also reported recently
that one of the Standard Oil affiliated
companies had distributed. free of cost.
| in China several millions of inexpen-
sive glass kerosene lamps, with the
| intention of educating the Chinese to
| tho use of oil lamps, so that they will
| buy their oil from the company.
Japan's Purpose Stated.
The demands Of Japan on China.
made public February II, were said to
have for their object "the settlement
of certain questions regarding the fu-
ture development of the Chinese re-
public" Japan demanded that. in fu-
| ture. the Japanese shall be preferred
| by the government of China among
| foreigners employed as controlling ad-
yisers" in police. military and financial
affairs. 1t was demanded that China
shall borrow no money from a third
mower without Japan's consent Japan
| in future one-half of all arms and am
munition required from Japanese firms