Show i CLEARING IAWAY FO6O Cabinet Discussing Several Plans for Terminating Termi-nating the Indefinite Status ofF 4 of-F Affairs in China i < f > > vAn I 1 I Agreement Among the Powers is SoughtClear Expression of I Purpose on Part of Principal i Nations Desired in Order that I Uncle Sam May Know How Far Me Can Go Consistently in I Execution of Common Programme II I I Washington Aug 29A special meeting of the Cabinet lasting all day and broken only by a short recess for luncheon marked the Intense interest the Administration feels In the Chinese r problem It was the longest Cabinet session of the present Administration ¼ The diplomatic and not the military phase of the situation In China was under un-der consideration and this accounted for the presence of Acting Secretary Adee an unusual happening at a Cabinet Cab-inet meeting T Mr Adee Is the medium through which the foreign Governments communicate I com-municate and he has been In receipt of a good many statements recently Last T evening he and the French Charge M Thlebaut compared the French and i American copies of the credentials of LI Hung Chang Today he had long talks with Minister Wu and tho German Ger-man Charge and the substance of these conversations he laid before the Cabinet Cabi-net FUTURE OF CHINA ItIs understood that the Cabinet today to-day completed preparation of a plan for clearing away much of the uncertainty uncer-tainty that now exists as to the future in China and outlined its views In writing The fact that the military situation r sit-uation is admitted to bo ofsecondary importance confirms the view though no Cabinet officer would vouchsafe information in-formation on this point that what Is sought is agreement among the powers for terminating the indefinite h status of affairs In China It Is believed be-lieved that the point has been reached 7 where it is proper that there should he a clear expression of the purpose theE the-E part 1 ot tho principal powers in order that the United Statcu Government may know how far it may go consistently consis-tently in the execution of the common t programme MOST OBJECTS ACHIEVED Most of tho objects had In view by the President when he made answer to the Chinese Governments appeal and d began the campaign upon Peking have been achieved Two others remain to r4 r be secured namely the safeguarding of American Interests for the future C and some proper guarantee for indemnification indem-nification for the expenses of recent operations op-erations and losses of American citizens cit-izens Some plan by which the objects r ob-jects can be attained by the United States in common with similar objects S by 1 the other powers engaged in China I i is thought feasible j WHAT ATTRACTS ATTENTION Incidental to this main purpose several 1 sev-eral phases of the problem are attracting at-tracting npeclal attention Thus the ii sufficiency of LI Hung Changs credentials creden-tials as peace envoy or rather of the t ability of the Emperor of China to accredit L ac-credit any one thus Is a matter of International In-ternational consideration The United Slates must not only satisfy itself of Lis competency but it must convey solid assurance on that point to convince con-vince some of the other powers the 1I purpose of which perhaps would not be best served by a speedy termination of hostilities China TO SIMPLIFY ISSUES It was the general understanding that the outcome of todays Cabinet f4 meeting would be the adoption of a policy by the Administration that would tend to simplify these Issues and at least bring to a focus the varying aspirations of the powers T this cannot c can-not be done then the question to bp determined de-termined Is whether or not the United 3 States shall proceed further handIn hand with the allied forces I is believed be-lieved that this point Is very near a decslon our determination depending upon the responses made by European nations to our inquiries c CONFERENCE OF NATIONS I The suggestion that a conference beheld be-held of the nations represented n j China Is again revived as an accompaniment accom-paniment for this purpose and it Is pointed out that with Special Commissioner v Commis-sioner Rockhlll just about arriving in 11 on Chinese soil with Mumm von Schwartzenstcln the German successor SI to Baron von Kettclcr already In China with the Ministers resident at 4 Peking and with the high military and naval officials in the PelIIo valley the material is already at hand for the gathering of a conference fully equipped to deal with oven so complex rind difficult a problem as Is presented c in the settlement of Chinas future COMMUNICATION WITH CHINAs CHINA-s There are hopes that connection with dl China very much delayed of late will he better soon Consul Fowler at Che Foo got a routine dispatch through today to-day of current date and the Navy E department has been Informed that the 1 cable companys ship was about to leave Shanghai today to lay n direct d cable connecting Shanghai with Chti I Foo one of the weakest links in the s chain of communication present These Improved conditions as to the I opening of communication between military mil-itary and naval commanders and the authorities here havtg Tmade possible P fOI the latter to abanuon the purpose p conceived yesterday of employing naval vcsBelB to convey by water messages between Shanghai and Che Foo ATTITUDE OF GERMANY The attitude of Germany was tho cubjcct of much ofilclal discussion during dur-ing the day and considerable now lignt r ias thrown upon it Early In the day the German Charge dAffalrcs Baron Speck von Slertiberg had a long conference con-ference with Acting Secretary Adee i 4 Is understood that any question which i may have Arisen an to the future course j of Germany Is met by a reference to an J ofilclal note by Count von Buelow German Ger-man Minister ot Foreign Affairs Issued on July 12th which fully defined Gcr1 manys purpose In China This note of the German Chancellor followed within 4I ten days of Secretary Hays note to the powers on July 3rd and Is somewhat analogous In setting forth Germanys y Intentions Count von Buelows note said i AIM OF THE KAISER Our aim Is the restoration of security for persona and property freedom of action ac-tion for Gorman subjects In China tho rescue o tho foreigners beleaguered In I Poking tho establishment of security and rofiulur conditions under a properly organized or-ganized Chinese Government and reparation repara-tion and iallsfaeUon for tho outrages committed Vo desire no partition of China and sock no special advantages The Imperial Government Js I Imbued with tho conviction that tho maintenance of tho agreement between tho powers Is a primary condition for tho restoration of peace and order In China HOLDS TO THIS VIEW There is reason for believing that Germany holds today that the foregoing fore-going declaration Is as effective as when It was enunciated and that any present consideration of Germanys purposes must be viewed In the light of the foregoing specific declaration of policy For that reason the declaration tion We desire no partition of China and seek no special advantages is said to clear away suspicions that Germany Ger-many has a farreaching purpose of territorial acquisition In China Count von Buelows note further pointed out the scope of Germanys military measures In China stating that they will enable her to participate in the military action In a manner corresponding I cor-responding with Germanys political Importance By the recent events in I China the successful mission operatiOns opera-tiOns there the flourishing German trade and economical enterprises are menaced Our moral and material Interests In-terests we must protect Count Von Waldersees appointment followed and is said to have been quite within the foregoing general declaration of policy ITALYS POSITION I The attitude of Italy also has been defined in n statement by Marquis Vlscontl Venosta Minister of Foreign Affairs air follows Tho Cabinet has no present Intentions toward expansion or Intrigue In China Its programme Is to maintain perfect accord ac-cord between Italy and the other powers A fleet nnd tioopfliepreHent the I participation par-ticipation Italy In thu common task AVe cannot leave entirely to others tho protection of our national rights nor aro wo disinterested In the work ol jmiluil interests In-terests and civilization whIch tho jowcrs arc j ceking to carry on in hlna JOvcr AUSTRIAS COURSE I Is said that the course of Austria will be practically Identical with that of II Germany owing to the close relations 1 I between Berlin and Vienna on all questions ques-tions of international policy One of the best posted members of the diplomatic corps who Is actively engaged In the present negotiations to day summed up the international complications com-plications subutantlally as follows COMPLICATIONS SUMMED UP The powers were In complete accord up to the time of the taking of Peking But with that accomplished the more Important question arose as to the future fu-ture course of the powers In dealing deln with China and on that there Is not as yet complete accord Thus far it seems plain that the United States opposes op-poses the dismemberment of China or any move toward territorial extension there and In this position Russia and France seem to agree WANT EMPIRE DIVIDED On the other hand while there is nothing definite Indicating territorial expansion yot the exchanges have led to the belief that Germany Great Britain Brit-ain and probably Japan are not averse to a course which will bring about territorial ter-ritorial divisions within the empire I was supposed Japan stood against any division of tho empire but the landing of Japanese troops at Amoy cannot be accounted for on the ground that a Japanese I Jap-anese temple has been burned so that I It Is the accepted view that Japan Is at least making ready to be in a position to share in any division of territory which must come DISCLAIMED BY RUSSIA The course of Russia In taking New Chwang cannot be viewed In the same light na the landing of troops at Amoy or Shanghai as this was for the sole purpose of protecting Russias railway ralway line and any ulterior territorial purposes pur-poses have been disclaimed by Russia So far as Great Britains purposes are concerned In the absence of any express ex-press declaration the landing of troops at Shanghai Is strong evidence that Great Britain wishes to control the I Yangtse China valley which Is the garden of DOUBT AS TO GERMANY On the part of Germany the doubt as to her future course IB due mainly to Count Waldersees speech since the taking of Peking This has Indicated that he was going on an extensive calpalgI and that the fall of the Chinese Chi-nese capital was only the initial step In a comprehensive programme requiring requir-ing the presence of a large army Just what this means Is not clear but It has at least created much surprise in Washington and some other capitals LIS CREDENTIALS The differences over LI I Hung Changs credentials are threefold One view Including that o the United States Is that the credentials are acceptable ac-ceptable another that they have never been shown to carry complete authority author-ity while the third view Is that the original credentials were valid at the time given but have since become invalid In-valid through the flight of the Ijmpcror and the Empress Dowager and the i complete collapse of the Chinese Government I Gov-ernment The question of credentials does not seem so difficult to deal with i and will probably be solved to the satisfaction sat-isfaction of all concerned but it is not clear thus far that the powers can be brought Into complete accord on a general gen-eral policy for the future of China Each appears to be waiting for the other to act and on the part of ome there Is l traditional disinclination togo I I to-go Into the outlining of policies |