Evening star., 1915-05-04
WILL URGE CHINA
TO ACCEPT TERMS
Japanese Minister of Justice
Announces UItimatum Will
Soon Be Forwarded.
SAYS PEACE OF THE ORIENT
is THE PURPOSE IN VIEW
Ho~T Jaooo T,>rra,,o5 That T., ~ 11xy
Confidence Expressed That Friendly
Relations With U. S. and Britain
Will Not Be Disturbed.

TOXIC, May 4. HIS a.m.-Minister
of Justice Ozaki is quoted by the news
papers as having announced that the
cabinet had decided to send an ulti-
matum to China urging her to recon
slider the decision to make no further
concessions to Japan.
1t is explained in official circles that
Japan has no desire to resort to force,
but that China must be made to realize
this country is determined upon the
acceptance of it's program for solidi-
flying the peace of the orient"
Approved by Elder Statesmen.
The Yomiuri. in an extra edition. de-
clares that the elder statesmen. after
listening to long explanations from
Premier Okuma and Foreign Minister
kato, have approved a project to send an
ultmatum to China.
The information reaching Japan, this
paper says. leads to the conviction that
the nature of the last Chinese answer
Cbliges Japan to resort to this logical dip
lomatic step.
Continuing. the Yomiuri says that the
concessions made by Japan. particular
ly the restoration of kiaochow to
China, had created the belief that
W
would be arranged peacefully. There
is an impression now that Yuan Shf
kai. president of China, desires an ul-
timatum in order to justify Chinas
According to the Hochi Shimbun,
martial law will be proclaimed in
South Manchuria simultaneously with
the issuance of the ultimatum.
The press considers the ultimatum a
proper step. The Times believes that
If China refused to yield Japan should
occupy provinces like Shantung until
China comes to her senses This. the
paper says. would not constitute vio-
lation of China's integrity. since it's
sole aim would be to insure the in
tegrity of the country.
The belief is professed in some circles
that China may send word at the last
minute that additional concessions are
possible and in this way avert the
ultimatum.
Premier Expresses Disappointment.
The Kokumin Shimbun today quotes
Premier Okuma as expressing his dis
appointment with the course of the
Chinese authorities. In the beginning
it is related Japan asked China to keep
the proceedings strictly secret. In
spite of China's promise to this effect,
the proceedings were published broad
cast.
Continuing, the Kokumin Shimbun
says it is in position to declare with
authority that whatever action Japan
takes her course will not disturb the
friendly relations with the United
States and Great Britain.
No Formal Negotiations on China.
LONDON, May 4.-The United States
and Great Britain have entered into no
formal negotiations on the subject Of
Japans demands on China Announce
ment to this effect was made in the house
of commons today by the British foreign
minister, Sir Edward Grey. The foreign
minister added that the only communica-
British government had been a brief and
informal conversation in February be-
tween Ambassador Page and a represen-
tative of Great Britain.
Asked for a statement on the progress
of the negotiations between China and
Japan the foreign secretary told his ques-
toner that Great Britain had been in COM
munication with the Japanese government
on the subject Of the Anglo-Japanese
agreement generally, and particularly
concerning those British interests which
might possibly conflict with the competing
Japanese demands on China These ne
gotiations, however. he said, were stricly
confidential
Asked if he were going to do nothing
until Japan. by military force. having
imposed her authority on China" and
whether Great Britain was not bound
by treaty to defend the integrity Of
China, or If he was prepared to regard
that simply as a scrap of paper" Sir
Edward Grey reiterated that the COM
munications made to him by Japan
were confidential, and that he. there
fore, was not at liberty to discuss the
actual terms of the japanese demands.
The secretary said he was not aware
that any official and accurate version
of the demands had as yet been pub
lished and that he regarded the matter
as one of the greatest importance
A TOXIC dispatch to the Times saws
the crisis has arisen in consequence of
Chinas refusal to accept group Of the
Japanese demands. The premier. Count
okuma. says in the newspaper Asahi:
What Japan most needs is patience;
we must not treat China as if she were
an infant. Our final decision will be
made known in a day or two"
The Asahi declares that the Japanese
cannot make any further concessions.
Effect of Foreign Sympathy.
PEKING. May 4, 1915 pm.-The sym
pathetic attitude Of the foreign press,
especially the British papers, has en-
couraged the Chinese until they now
apparently have resolved to concede
nothing further to Japan Chinese
cedented manner. and the government
is faced with threatened internal trou-
bic if il makes any additional conces-
slOns
The Peking Gazette, the foremost Chi
nese paper, says.
"Cowardly capitulation will give
Japan the right to restore order and
invade China with her conscripts when
a revolution bursts over the land. A
child can realize the end-namely, the
reimpos!tion of the system which en-
abled the Manchus to hold US in sub
lection for centuries, ruling us for
purposes conceived in selfish and racial
agerand izement.
President Wilson Hopeful.
President Wilson today expressed
the hope that the Japanese Chinese
situation would in a short time Clarity
itself He had heard no word of any
ultimatum by Japan to China, as per
sistently reported from Toxic, and was
not inclined to credit 1t, pointing out
that from time to time since the par-