Rebuff

The recently concluded treaty of recognition between China and Russia (TIME, June 9, 16) among other things affirmed the sovereignty of China over Outer Mongolia and stipulated for the exclusive control by Russia and China of the Chinese Eastern Railway.

Last month, when the Sino-Russian pow-wow was on in Peking, Dr. Jacob G. Schurman, U. S. Minister to China, wrote to American-educated Dr. V. K Wellington Koo, Chinese Foreign Minister, and requested the Chinese Government to see that the foreign interests in the Railway were protected.*

During the past week Foreign Minister Koo sent notes to the U. S., French and Japanese Ministers at Peking, virtually stating that the foreign nations had nothing to do with the Chinese Eastern Railway which would henceforth be controlled by Russia and China. Such a note was indeed a rebuff to the U. S., as well as to France and Japan.

U. S. Secretary of State Charles E. Hughes wrote that under Resolution 13 of the Washington Arms Conference the Powers recognized Chinese trusteeship for foreign investors in the Railway securities and the fact that China was not a party to the agreement in no way lessened her responsibility in the eyes of the Powers.

* The Chinese Eastern Railway was built by Russia under a contract concluded in 1896 and the railway zone was administered solely by Russians. In 1917, after the Russian Revolution, the U. S. took over temporarily the operation of the railways. During this period the Wilson Administration spent $5,000,000 for the upkeep of the railway, which stun is now owing to the U. S.