Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-10-03
SOVIET 0VERTURES
Rejected BY CHINA,
SAYS HER MINISTER
DR.. Koo Says Recent Man.
date Was Only to Clear
Up Situation.
By the Associated Press.


Proffers of the Russian soviet gov
eminent to renounce special Russian
rights and concessions in China have
not been accepted by the Chinese gov
eminent, according to a formal state
ment issued last night by DR.. Wei
lington Koo, Chinese minister. Nc
reply has been made to the Russian
offer, DR.. Koo said, and the recent
Chinese mandate withdrawing rec
ognition from diplomatic and consul
lar officers sent to China by the
kerensky government of Russia was
an endeavor to clear up the difficult
situation presented by the presence
of representatives of an extinct re-
gime on Chinese soil.
Little Danger OF Bolshevism.
1.-THE Chinese government has moi
accepted any Of the soviet offers te
restore the concessions and specia
rights which were wrung from China
by the old Russian regime" Minister
koo said. because it. did not wish te
depart from the policy of acting per:
fectly in accord with the United
There is less danger of bolshevism ir
China than in almost any other coun.
try.
The recent mandate suspendne
recognition of former Russian diplo-
matte and consular officers in China
has been issued without any connec,
ton with the proposals of the soviet
government. which were sent tc
China about six months ago, and tc
which China did not even reply. The
object of the mandate was merely tc
suspend special privileges of a politi'
cal character which had been exer-
cised by these officers; notably the
right to eXtra-territorial jurisdiction
over civil and criminal proceedings
against Russian nationals. The actor
did not impair the ordinary rights Of
property. residence or travel within
China. Even the suspension of the
extra territorial jurisdi ction is a tenn
porary measure and it's reinstatement
will ultimately be a question takeT
up with a recognizable Russian gov.
eminent.
Mandate Met Situation.
"The mandate was issued to NEE,
the difficult situation presented by the
existence of these officials, exercising
extra-territorial Jurisdiction over Their
own nationals. without the power to
enforce their decisions. EXtra-terri-
torial rights of this kind are a privi-
lege which carry with them the duty
Of controlling the conduct of these
nationals. When the authority to con-
troll these nationals is extended, and
the power to control is lacking, the
extra-territorial status furnishes a
refuge for the lawless. to the detri-
ment of peace and order. The man
date was issued to prevent Russians
from carrying on their own political
quarrels on Chinese soil, and to give
protection to the law-abiding ele-
ments.
1.-THE second object Of the mandate
was to stop the payment of the indem-
nifty installments due to Russia, under
the Boxer settlements. 1t is a cues
ton whether the receipts given for
these, payments, by present legation,
would be recognized by succeeding Rus
sian governments. The fact that China
has continued to recognize the diplo-
matte and consular officers of the former
Russian government for two years after
the government has ceased to exist is
complete evidence of China's indication
to present the same attitude toward
Russian affairs adopted by the United
States and allied powers"
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