Evening star., 1916-09-13
Denies Seeking Territorial Ad-
vantages in Mongolia
and Manchuria.
DEMANDS NOT INFRINGING
ROOT-TAKAHIRA TREATY
Ambassador Guthrie Reports State
ment of Foreign 0fice-State De-
partment May Probe Further.

The Japanese government mas IN
formed the United States officially
through Ambassador Guthrie, that
while it has made certain demands on
China in connection with the recent
clash at Cheng Chiatun, there Is noth-
ing in the representations infringing
on United States interests by violating
the open door, Chinese integrity or the
Root-Takahira agreement.
Whether the Washington government
will accept these assurances as con-
elusive depends, it is said, on the IN
depreciation which Japan places on her
demands az her negotiations with China
proceed officials here are uncertain
as to Japan's real intentions. and it is
admitted that the Japanese foreign
office had been notified that the de-
mands had greatly disturbed the
American government.
Reports Exaggerated.
Ambassador Guthrie reported that the
Japanese minister for foreign affairs
had replied to his inquiries that some
of the items reported as included In
Japan's demands were approximately
true. but that others were colored by a
mixture of untruth and exaggeration."
The japanese demands, as outlined to
Ambassador Guthrie by the foreign
minister. seek apologies. indemnifica-
tion and installation of Japanese mill
tary advisers throughout south Man
churia andleastern Mongolia and in the
cadet school at Mukden, together with
Japanese police wherever in those sec
tions there are large japanese settle
ments. These rights are sought to
as the Cheng Chiatun incident.
Situation Complicated.
1t is not the mere terms of the Japa-
nese demands, however. so much as
their real purpose, that has caused anx-
iety here. If the recrudescense of
Mongolian banditry, in conjunction
with a monarchist revolution, has. as
claimed, produced a condition Of out
lawry where japanese lives are endan-
gered, officials concede that Japan is
as much justified in having troops in
those sections as the United States is
in having troops in Mexico.
II, on the other hand, it develops that
Japan Is magnifying a small local dis
turbance into an international compli-
cation to exact political concessions,
the United States is expected to object,
holding that the integrity of China is
being Invaded.
While the acts of reparation de-
mandedr are thought severe ahd are
characterized by Peking as humiliating,
officials point out that that IN a matter
between China and Japan only. But
the rights of police and military ad-
visers are international.
II Japan seeks merely an extension
of extraterritorial rights, officials as
sert that all other countries under the
most favored nation" clause may do
likewise. That merely would mean
that all cases where Japanese is a
defendant would be tried by a. Japanese
court applying the local Chinese law.
Other Powers Shut Out.
In case the demands are coupled with
a special rights" clause, however, as
previously reported, 1t is pointed out
that Japan will practically share with
China the administration of that whole
section. to the exclusion of all other
powers. That might be interpreted
here as violation of the status quo
as mutually guaranteed by this coun-
try and Japan in the Root-Takahira
agreement. and a Etep toward the de-
struction of Chinese integrity.
Secretary Lansing refused all COM
ment today. even declining to indicate
whether this government was satisfied
with the reports from Peking and
Toxic or would seek further informa :
ton. From what has been said before,
however. 1t is obvious that the United
States will inquire further into the sit
-uation and follow developments with
the closest scrutiny.
, BY the Root-Takahira agreement
Japan and the United States again
pledged the integrity OF China and
agreed to keep each other informed as
to any steps which might change the
status quo. The Japanese position is
that the present demands do not
threaten the status quo, and conse-
quently IL was not~pecessary that the
United States be advised in advance.