Show THE POWERS ACQUIESCE WILL JOIN IN ASKING combatants TO RESTRICT FIELD OP operations RUSSIA HAS NOT SIGNIFIED WHAT HER WILL BE st petersburg feb 12 russia is evidently not prepared at this time to give an answer to the united states to secretary hays note on the subject of the neutrality 0 china As previously stated jn these dispatches hostilities having begun the military authorities must bo consulted and the czar doubtless will refer the matter to viceroy AIex lep it be hag not already done so russia itcan it can be said Is certainly as the united states that abe afar cause no risings or disorders in chana indeed the attitude of china Is some here as sho hanot declared her neutrality it Is though here that toe action ot the japanese in flooding peking with posters relating les Is part of a well bald campal gR projected from the ty breakdown dussias Rus sias prestige in china bothe purpose pt ultimately ot the two races which would make the yellow peril a reality russia haa already learned of the position taken by several powers regarding secretary hays note germany and great britain it Is understood der stood both are with its purposes but with an important reservation concerning manchuria which Is to be the theater ot war vienna feb la states ambassador bas storer today presented secretary clays noto on alio subject of caina to the foreign office and afterwards bad a long interview with the austro hungary minister of foreign affairs well informed persona believe the policy of austro hungary in the far east will be to acquiesce with other interested powers washington feb IS to russia and capani tha washington government suggests the propriety of hostilities small abc area aa possible ando respecting the neutrality and y of china that china may bo ace disturbances and foreign int berels there from menace this the associated press Is enabled to give as the substance of the note addressed by secretary hay on february to tho and the boklo governments on february ath in a note to germany great britain and france mr aw invited these powers concurrently to address russia and japan with the same suggestion and on february alth this inalta afon was extended to italy austria hungary the netherlands denmark spain and belgium i gimang Gi many was the first to respond wlter a prompt acceptance of the inal latton and tho promise that she would immediately address the two combatants great britain sheard wa from next expressing adherence to the principle laid down in the note but withholding formal acceptance pending an answer to an inquiry the tiro entity 1 0 china involved man churla japan wa heard from quickly with the answer that she would act readily on tho suggestion of the united states it a promise could bo obtained from russia italy austila and the netherlands expressed sympathy with the idea and promised an answer after consultation with other powers there la reason to bellevo that spain and belgium also wll accept ion russia thus far has baen silent and tho attitude of franco la one of hesitation thia 18 the situation tonight meair alma ft ia that germany sat dressing tho combatants with a not in substance tho samo as that bt sec detary hay regarding tho attl tudo 0 great britain it has been ai matter ol 01 some regret to tho officials here that as the principle is one tor which the british government has blood lor in the past so 11 should hold up form al acceptance ot tho invitation until it has learned further details on the highest authority it can bo stated that there are no details to the secretary note as it would bo am possible to hope for concurrent action by so many powers upon gayaut the most general lines that tho officials ot the washington government could save have had in mind the neutrality of manchuria la declared on tho face of it to be absurd manchuria Is recognized by this government with korea to be the natural seat ot war and or this barlly Is tho suggestion made that hostilities be restricted 1 A high official of the f alon las lyen these details of ahe d steps led to the issuance of secretary hays nato on february ath baron von sternberg the german ambassador under Instruct lona from berlin called at the white house aad laid befaro the president this proposition that tho powers argo on russia and japan the expediency ency of preserving tho peace of mind 6 the chinese court and ft respecting spec ting the neutrality and of administration of china the german government invited the united states as the power possessing the less political interest in the far eastern affair to issue the invitation in tho event however that this was not practicable germany expressed her willingness to take the initiative the german ambassador called again the day following sunday for p further conference with the president to whom the idea at once appealed aa exceedingly practicable and worthy of execution secretary hay arrived in washington that night and had a conference with the president immediately after his arrival the next the german ambassador bas called at the secre residence for a conference it was then decided that probably the invitation could be issued more advantageously by this country and tho notes were that day forwarded those to germany france and great britain being cabled that night germany made this proposition to the united states without consultation with the other powers it Is said that russia bad no knowledge in advance of germanas germanys Germ anys intention to take this step it should be remembered that at the time the note was issued there was no official information that hostilities had actually begun hu act necessitated a slight changing in the wording of the invitation to the other powers i in diplomatic circles the fact that germany and tho united states took the lead concurrently in this important diplomatic move Is regarded as having great significance both in official and diplomatic circles the belief has been general that germany had a secret understanding with russia in the far east but it was said tonight that this government la now convinced of the sincerity of ger banys insistence all along that her interests in the far east were largely commercial and that she wished the maintenance of the integrity of china |