The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-02-22
Russia Gladly and Willingly
FaVOrs Suggestion TO Local.
lie Eastern HOsdIities
EXPRESSES FRIENDSHIP
FOR The UNITED STATES
Japan Was Eager for the War and
Russia Claims That the Japan
ese Will Be Satiated
Yet.

Washington, February 81. = "Russia
gladly and willingly favored the sugges-
ton of Secretary Hay that, as far as pos
sible, the belligerents in the far eastern
war locaIfze hostilities and respect the
neutrality of China in the interest of
continuance of peaceful intercourse of the
rest of the world. My government ex-
pressed the conviction that Mr.. Hays
suggestion was prompted by motives of
the highest humanity and was mutually
advantageous to the belligerents"
This statement was made by Count Cas-
sini, the Russia ambassador. in the course
of a conversation with a representative
of the Associated Press at the embassy
tonight
The ambassador spoke in general on
the far eastern situation. Although the
negotiations on the neutrality PROPOSE
ton have been carried on almost entire
ly between the several foreign govern
ments addressed and the American
voys accredited to them, the we
the work of the Russian amb'
Washington in the counsels
jesty was strongly influential in
ing of Russia's reply.
Count cassini Advised.
AS soon as the note was address,
the Russian government, Count Cas-
was advised of the fact by Secretary H
and long and earnest conversation 70.
lowed on the motives of the Washington
government in creating this move, unique
in diplomacy.
To the frankness of this conversation
a frankness made possible by the cordial
and intimate relations which Mr.. Hay
and Count Cassini have enjoyed at Wash
ington, Is largely due, it is said, the
prompt resnopse Of the Russian govern
inent, which is naturally concerned with
many matters of the gravest Importance
and some demanding the most speedy at
tention. such as war measures.
Not lnterfered With.
ut is Fortunate continued the am
bassador, that whatever may be the
feeling here and there in the United
States of sympathy for Japan, the tradi-
tional and so far as Russia is concern
ed, the highly priced friendly relations
between the Washington and St Peters,
burg governments in no way have been
interfered with. Every mail brings TO the
embassy some fifty to one hundred con-
tradietions in the form of offers of as
sistance, medical and military of the
statement that Russia is without frineds
in this country
1t is so In this country, as In every
other, that the smaller nation in the
struggle can count on a certain amount
OF sympathy, arising solely from the fact
OF its minority but 1t is a tribute to
the fairness of your government that
the OFFICIAL conduct of your government
certainly has been all that either bellig-
erent could expect in the preservation OF
the strict neutrality which the President
directed shall be observed by his people.
Offers Very Numerous.
so numerous have these offers of medi-
cal and other aid become that l have
felt it my duty to bring them to the at
tention of my government 1t is possible
that in recognition of the kindly spirit
of humanity and friendliness which is
evidenced by the American physicians Of
fering their service, that my government
may find a way to accept some of them.
and that American physicians and nurses
may aid us in caring for the wounded in
the far eastern war. 1 am daily expect
ing an answer from st. Petersburg on
this point"
What will be the effect of the removal
of the censorship on all news from ST.
Petersburg to the outside world" the
ambassador was asked.
He replied
1T is believed that this will effectively
diminish the number or canards which
have been secretly sent from Russia. es-
pecially to England and the United
States about my country. Censored de-.
spatches were wrongly considered abroad,
as having the approval of the govern
ment. Nothing could have been further
from the truth, unless it was the addi-
tional false impression that uncensored
dispatches represented the facts as they
were.
May Form Better Idea.
with the censorship removed it is
hoped that the outside world may have
better idea of my government and my
people. 1t was gratifying to hear from
representative American several days
ago of the approval in this country of
the policy which has been strictly ad-
hered to of making public the news from
the far east whether good or bad
In the earnest hope that peace might
be preserved with Japan, my government
was giving more attention to the methods
by which diplomatic settlement might
be reached, than to preparations for the
recourse to arms. which we are now con-
vinced Japan had determined on at the
outset of the negotiations. For this rea-
son. the first chapter in the far eastern
Wal Ids HOb bcci cHdIdcleflZed Dy RuS-
sian victories.
''The truth. however. has been made
public as rapidly as Admiral Alexieff's
dispatches have been reported to his ma
jesty. In the first chapter, however. is
contained a picture, which as was to be
expected the fair spirit of Americans was
quick to appreciate and applaud l refer
to the noble conduct of the captain of the
variag who, after refusing to surrender
his ship, came out of the harbor OF Che
mulpo to face an overwhelming force OF
Japanese warships. to whose fire he re-
piled as effectivel vas he could, and then
blew up his own ship that she might not
fall into the hands of the enemy.
compensates for Losses.
'srhe contribution of such page to
Russian history, more than compensates
for any losses sustained by our navy as a
result Of japan attacking us before