Evening star., 1916-09-14
Assurance Accepted That
Their Pact Does Not Threat
en- Open Door in China.
TOXIC MOST EMPHATIC
IN DEFENDING PURPOSES
Foreign Office Declares Itself Com
mitted to Policy-Petrograd
Makes Similar Statement.

Both Japan and Russia have given the
United States formal assurances that
the new Russo-Japanese treaty does
not repeal or affect the treaties OF 1907
and 1910. in which those nations
pledged themselves to maintain the in
tegrity of China and the open door pol
icy.
The assurances were given to Ambas-
sadors Guthrie. at Toxic. and Francis. at
Petrograd. in response to inquiries.
The State Department today received
from Mr.. Guthrie a note on the subject
addressed to him by the Japanese for
eign Office, stating in unequivocal terms
that Japan had not for moment en-
tertained an intention of departing
from these policies.
State Department Satisfied.
Department oficials let it be known
that the statements were entirely sat
the new treaty, over which they had
been considerably perturbed. probably
would not be pressed further.
The note resulted from inquiries made
by Ambassador Guthrie at Toxic. by di
garding the effect of the new treaty.
A statement. issued today by the
State Department, says:
This request was transmitted
through Ambassador Guthrie, August
16. An oral response was made at
that time, reaffirming adherence to the
'open-door' policy. but the Japanese
government has now most courteously
added, in a note to the ambassador,
dated September IS, the following as
surance:
Japanese Assurances.
THE imperial government desires to
assure the American government that
the new convention is in no sense de-
signed to repeal or modify the provis-
ions of article of the convention con-
cluded between Japan and Russia on
July 81. 1907, nor have the imperi6l
government entertained for moment
any intention to depart from the policy
to which they have avowedly commit
ted Themselves respecting the mainte-
nance OF the Independence and terri
torial integrity Of China as well as the
principle Of equal opportunity for the
trade Of all nations in that country.
"On the contrary. they are as strongly
convinced as ever of the usefulness Of
that policy in the interest of the gen
eral peace and stability In the far
east. which they have always very
near their hearts,"
Russia Repeats Assurances.
The result of similar inquiries made
for the State Department at Petrograd,
regarding the effect of the new treaty.
is commented upon by the State Depart
ment as follows:
"The minister for foreign affairs of
the imperial Russian government, in
like manner assured the American am
bassador. in response to his inquiry,
that his government had not withdrawn
from the conventions of 1907 and 1910.
but will maintain unimpaired the pro-
visions of those agreements, notwith-
standing the fact that no mention of
them was made in the convention of
1915"
The treaties Of 1907 and 1910, between
Japan and Russia, affirmed China's ter
ritorial integrity and the open-door
policy.
open-Door Guarantee.
Article of the 1907 treaty, which
was reafirmed with slightly different
wording in the 1910 convention. reads:
THE two high contracting parties
recognize the independence and terri
torial integrity of the empire of China
and the principle of, equal opportunity
in whatever concerns commerce and in
dustries of all nations in that empire,
and engage to sustain and defend the
maintenance of the status quo and re-
spect for this principle by all the spe-
cific means within their reach"
State Department officials today ex-
pressed complete satisfaction with the
unequivocal reply made by Japan and
the statement from the Russian foreign
office. They felt these assurances LETT
no doubt as to the maintenance of the
open-door policy and regard for Ameri-
can interests in China under the terms
of the new Russo-Japanese treaty, Al
though its text has not yet been made
public.
Officials expect that American inqui-
ries at Tokyo and Petrograd will not be
pressed further. and that copy of the
new convention will be forwarded in due
course.