Show The State Department is Very Mum AVASHINGTON May3lThe state department depart-ment officials absolutely decline to discuss the Samoan conference or the Behmg sea tangle Of the former they aSmit that matters are in such a shape as to warrant the expectation of in early conclusion of the conference as comparatively unimportant unimpor-tant details onlj are remaining to be adjusted ad-justed but upon the provisions of the treaty they refuse to talk So far as can be learned there is no new phase in the Behring sea matter The Presidents proclamation appears to have closed the history of the case and it cannot be learned that there has been any correspondence corre-spondence between this government and that of Great Britain on the subject According to the position taken by the United States government by congressional declaration the jurisdiction of the United States over the waters of the Alaska side of Behrmg sea is not admitted to be a subject sub-ject for negotiations |