Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 February 1904 — NEUTRALITY PROCLAMATION. [ARTICLE]

NEUTRALITY PROCLAMATION.

President Warns United States Citizens and Assures Diplomats. The neutrality proclamation issued by PresidedJtaosevelt...is about as 'complete a declaration as could be conceived. It reiterates general principles between nations, warns all citizens of.the United Stales not to aid either side, defines the rights of all neutrals on sea. and makes tlie usual declaration that ships of cither belligerent shall not remain in a port of ihj United States except in cases of great emergency for more than twentyfour hours.

For the express benefit of the Russians special attention is called bo the treaty between the United States and the Czfir's government signed. fifty years ago, in which it is declared free -hips .-li'.ill make free goods and that the property ot’ neutrals,, even if on an enemy's ship, shall pot be subject “to ermtiscati.m ti ll less the same siiall-be contraband of war. Unusual stress has been 1 i;d .in. the proclamation upon the; section warning citizens nf the. United States that they must not enlist or aid personally either one of the nations ;i t. w:u\ Neutrality is not violated- by the seiliiil- of mills pr munitions of war cithir to Japan or to Russia, but neutrality is violated by any. attempt to enlist for -yeiwicc in the armies of either country or rot t'ftrf Wen in the. United States who are. to light in the army or navy either i-.i'.J.ip'au or "Ku-sin; Persons .who do this ;m'. likely' to be punished by the United Stales govern-, ineiit, and persons who carry munitions' .of war on high seas dp so at their peril, for such articles are contraband <ii' war,' and if seized at sen. even if carried by* a neutral ship, wiil he confiscated, and the government of'th e United States will not make tlie slightest effort lo'lecover damages for the owner.

Hay’s Ncgotntions. Secretary Huy in his negotiations, first of all sent individual diplomatic feelers to France, Germany and Great Britain, suggesting that the Chinese empire proper, by which; of course, he meant territory exclusive of tlie scat of wmy which 4SvM»nehiirhi and Koren, should, not be considered as tlie subject hr dispute, but that it should be preserved intact by joint action of neutral powers, and for this purpb.se its absolute neutrality should be guaranteed to them. A favorable reply to ibis was received from all three great powers which took an important part in the restoration of order and the- rescue of diplomats at Pekin in 1900. Having secured this informal assurance of moral support, the Secretary next forwarded an identical note to Russia and Japan suggesting they should join with "neutral imlitimr not in"the "agreement, but in tlie general understanding that hostilities in Manchuria and Korea should not lie considered as preliminary to the partitifllF of tlie Chinese empire itself. Still the third step was taken when the governments of France, Germany and Great Britain sent the same kind of a note to Russia and Japan. Thereupon Secretary Hay immediately -enlarged the. sphere of his diplomatic activity, and- sent his notes regarding the neutrality and integrity of China to Italy, Austria-Hungary, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands. <

Subsequently the idea of localization of hostilities was submitted directly to Russia and Japan, and it seems that in St. Petersburg and Paris there has been constant confusion between an attempt to limit hostilities to the natural sphere of action and concurrent action by neutral nations to keep Chino out of the fight and therefore out of the danger tof dismemberment. Japan has agreed to accept everything suggested by Mr. Hay. It is Russia which is holding back. France, an ally of Russia, is quite willing to take action to secure .the neutrality of China, but .is not yet quite ready to admit that the Chinese empire itself may not be made a proper subject of a treaty of peace between Russia ami Japan. The representatives of Japan and Russia were assured it was not the purpose of ihe State Department to interfere i 4 any way with actual military operations. The sole suggestion made by Mr. Hay was that the armies should confine their attention to the things in dispute, and should hot go wandering nil over Asia, devastating neutral countries while ostensibly running away from or pursuing the enemy. The readiness with which Mr. Hay’s views have been taken up by European nations, even including France, seems to show that they are suspicious of both Japan and Russia, and are anxious to have some guarantee that they will not, under the guise of a treaty of peace between each other, Swallow up both Korea and Manchuria and leave the great neutral nations to hold the bag. ,