The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1916-09-22
TREATIES WILL
Be OBSERVED
Assurances Received From
Japan and Russia.
FOR OPEN DOOR IN CHINA
The Recent Treaty Contains Nothing
Which VIII Interfere With the
Integrity OF China Or the
open-Door Policy.

Washington.-Both Japan and Rus-
STA have given the United States for
NAL assurances that the new Russo
Japanese treaty does not repeal or af-
feet the treaties of 1907 and 1910, in
which those nations pledged them
selves to maintain the integrity OF
China and the open-door policy.
The assurances were given to Am
bassadors Guthrie, at Toxic, and Fran
els, at Petrograd, in response to in
Quiries. The State Department re-
ceived from Mr.. Guthrie note on the
subject addressed to him by the Japa-
nese Foreign Office, stating in I'M
equivocal terms that Japan had not
for q moment entertained an inten-
ton of departing from these policies.
Department officials let 1t be known
that the statements were entirely
satisfactory and that inquiries regard
ing the new treaty, over which they
had been considerably perturbed, prob
ably would not be pressed further.
Department Gives Jap Note.
A statement issued by the State De
partment says:
This request, was transmitted
through Ambassador Guthrie August
Is. An oral response was made. at
that time, reafirming adherence tC the
'open-door' policy. but the Japanese
Government has now most courteous
ly added in note to the Ambassador,
dated September Is. the following as
surance:
1.-The Imperial Government desire
to assure the American Government
that the new convention is in no sense
designed to repeal or to modify the
provisions of Article Of the conven-
ton concluded between Japan and
Russia on July 81, 1907, nor have the
Imperial Government entertained for
moment any intention to depart from
the policy to which they have ayowed-
ly committed themselves respecting
the maintenance of the independence
and territorial integrity of China, as
well as the principle of equal oppor-
tunity 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 in
terest Sof the general peace and
stability in the Far East, which they
have always very near their hearts,"
Russian Reply Commented on.
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 De-
partment as follows:
"The Minister for Foreign Affairs
of the Imperial Russian Government
in like manner, assured the American
Ambassador, in response to his in
quiry, that his Governmemnt had not
withdrawn from the conventions of
1907 and 1910. but will maintain, un-
impaired, the provisions, of those
agreements, Notwithstanding the fact
that no mention of them was made in
the convention of 1916"
What Treaties Provided
The treaties of 1907 and 1910 be-
tween Japan and Russia affirmed
China's territorial integrity and the
open-door policy. Article of the 1907
treaty, which was reafirmed with
slightly different wording in the 1910
convention, reads:
1.-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
industries of all nations in that en-
pire, and engage to sustain and defend
the maintenance of the status quo and
respect for this principle by all the
specific means within their reach"