Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-10-19
RUSSIA JOINS IN
JAPAN'S PROTEST
ON RAILWAY PLAN
Objections Filed to American
Firm Building 400 Miles of
Track and 200 Miles
of Canal.
MANY MILLIONS INVOLVED
Situation as Yet Contains Moth
ing That May Result In
Diplomatic Issue-Dis-
putes Are Usual.
MANY MILLIONS INVOLVED

Picking. Oct. 6.-Japan and Russia
entered protests today against conces-
sions for railway and canal construc-
ton in China, which have been granted
to Americans.
Prince Nicholas K%oudacheff, the
Russian minister, lodged a protest at
the Chinese foreign office against the
proposed American railroad from
Feng-Cheng, Shansi province to Lam
chow-Fu, in Kansu province, alleging
that the Chinese minister i'll Petrograd
promised verbally 10 years ago that
Russia should have the privilege of
building railways in the vicinity OF
Mongolia.
The disputed line is to run for a dis
lance of approximately 400 miles. The
agreement entered into between the
Siems-Carey company, Of st. Paul,
with the Chinese government empow-
ers the American company to on
struct equal mileage elsewhere if the
protest holds.
German Defeat Involved.
Baron Gonsuke Hayashi, the Japan
to the Chinese foreign office against
this governments agreement with
American contractors for the recon
struction of 200 miles Of the grand
canal in Shantung province. The Jap
anese claim, by reason of their con-
quest of Shantung, all the rights here
tofore held by Germany in the devel-
opment Of that Chinese province. The
Chinese government contends that
Germany must be defeated before such
a claim will hold good. The dispute
involves the Siems-Carey agreement
providing for the construction of the
northern half Of the grand canal.
Washington, D. c., Oct. 16.-The
Il ananaCa and Russian nrnfnSt ooninGf
the Chinese contract with the Ameri-
can International corporation for rail-
road building had not been officially
reported to the state department today,
but officials expressed deep interest
and expected to heal from Minister
Reinsch at Picking.
No Diplomatic Issue.
At present, however, there seems to
be nc diplomatic issue to involve this
government. The American Interna-
tional corporation as a private Ameri-
can organization secured the contract
through a LOAF to China entirely on it's
own account n without any COM
munication with the state department
AS an American corporation, however
it will be entitled to the good offices OF
the government in case it becomes evil
dent that its rights are being actually
violated. or in case it makes a direct
appeal to the state department for aid.
Contracts for foreign activities in
China almost invariably bring forth
protests by other governments on the
grounds Of violation of concessions
Such q contingency was foreseen in the
present instance, it is pointed out, by
the provision that in case the lines on
templated We're protested successfully
by another government, equal privi-
leges would be granted elsewhere.
Very often long negotiations have In
tervened between the Chinese govern
ment and the protesting third govern
ment before the full legal rights Were
cleared up. In nan cases. as in the
Belgian protest against the British
Pukau railroad concession solution was
found by changing the location to an
other territory.