War Bogies Vanish; President Serene.

New York Times 100 years ago today, May 17, 1913:
Confident of Amicable Settlement with Japan, Cabinet Discusses Reply to Chinda.
WILL SILENCE ALARMISTS
Wild Rumors of Military Movements Had the Flimsiest Basis — London Story of Coal Shipments.
Special to The New York Times.
    WASHINGTON, May 16.— A much calmer feeling in regard to relations with Japan prevailed to-day among those persons in Washington not connected with the Government who had been led astray by foolish fancies based on trifles. Last evening's rumors about preparations by the United States for a hostile emergency had all been dissipated.
    Officials of the Administration were responsible to some extent for the conditions that gave rise to these rumors. Their secretive attitude in regard to the conference between President Wilson, Secretary Garrison, Secretary Daniels, and Acting Secretary Moore fanned suspicion, which the President last night and to-day thought it advisable to allay by letting it be known that there was no intention on the part of the Government of moving warships and troops to meet any warlike contingency.
    At the meeting of the Cabinet to-day considerable attention was given to the situation brought about by the agitation in Japan over Gov. Johnson's announcement that he would approve the Alien Land bill. Discussion of this matter took up a large part of the two and a half hours that the President and his advisers were in conference.
    The President made the members of his official family acquainted with the conditions that confront the United States as a result of Gov. Johnson's refusal to heed the President's request to delay putting the Alien Land act into operation. Any concern that exists arises from the possibility that a demand for reparation by the United States may be made by such a large part of Japan's population that the present Ministry will be forced to retire or, if it should remain in office, will feel obliged to take a more positive stand regarding the land bill so as to placate the jingoistic spirit among the people. Some think that if the present Ministry is turned out its successor would come into power, virtually pledged to call the United States to account for the alleged insult to the Japanese nation through the discrimination against Japanese subjects in California.

President Has No Fears.
    While President Wilson has not been unmindful of the possibilities for discord, he is confident that the differences that have arisen will be adjusted amicably with Japan. He is satisfied that the suggestion of war over the California matter is preposterous, holding with Secretary Knox that the Japanese Government is anxious to maintain the most amicable relations with this country. Mr. Knox returned from his recent visit to Japan as special representative of the President at the funeral of the Emperor, absolutely convinced that the talk of war between the two countries was confined to a small number of Jingoes and found no sympathy among those in authority. The assurances that Mr. Knox received on this subject were emphatic and comprehensive.
    The American note, in answer to the Japanese protests, has been drafted, but probably will not be delivered to Viscount Chinda, the Japanese Ambassador, until Gov. Johnson has carried out his intention to sign the alien land bill.
    This note was prepared in its original form, it is understood, by John Bassett Moore, counsellor of the State Department, but it was indicated to-day that President Wilson had a large part in the revision of the note.

Expect Note to Allay Apprehension.
    What course of reasoning is taken by the Government in this communication has not been disclosed, but there is a confident feeling among those who have seen the text of the note that its publication will have a marked influence in allaying any apprehension among people in this country and Japan that a crisis has arisen in the relations of two nations whose friendship has been of the most cordial character.
    Secretary Bryan positively refused today to discuss the reply or Japan's protest. He also made a statement deprecating efforts to guess at the varying phases of official negotiation, asserting that serious mischief might result and a satisfactory conclusion be retarded or prevented.
    The slender foundation on which the alarmist stories were based was made even more plain to-day than last night.
    The chief incident around which the rumors centred was the conference between President Wilson, Secretary Garrison, Secretary Daniels and Acting Secretary Moore. Mr. Moore went to the White House to discuss the answer he was preparing to the Japanese protest while Mr. Garrison and Mr. Daniels received instructions from the President not to move any troops or ships or permit the practice work of any considerable number of war vessels in Pacific waters that might give any basis for the idea that the Government was making preparations for a serious emergency.
    Another source of misapprehension was the fact that the armored cruiser Maryland left San Diego yesterday. Rumor said she sailed under sealed orders. The truth is that the Maryland went out to make a test of Pochontas coal in accordance with instructions issued by the Navy Department some time ago to this ship and others. The Navy Department is trying to ascertain the comparative values of Pocahontas and Alaska coal, and the Maryland is to make careful notes on her present run to determine what the Pocahontas product can do under the same conditions to be applied in a test of Alaska coal. It was said at the Navy Department to-day that the Maryland would probably turn up in San Francisco.
    The departure of two companies of Coast Artillery from San Francisco for Honolulu was cited as proof that the Government was preparing to meet a possible Japanese attack on Hawaii. These two companies sailed in accordance with a fixed programme of changes in the stations of troops, which was announced months ago.

Alarmists Find New Material.
    To-day the alarmists found further cause for dismay in the knowledge which they had just gained that the armored cruisers Montana and Tennessee had been ordered home from Turkish waters, where they had been looking after American interests during the disturbances in that country. These vessels started home last week in accordance with orders issued before the California Land bill incident arose.
    A plan for manoeuvres which were arranged last Fall is responsible for the prospective departure of a flotilla of submarines from Norfolk for the Guantanamo naval station.