Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-19
PORTSMOUTH OPINION
Over Present Status of the
Peace Negotiations.
ACTION
BELIEVED HE HAS APPEALED To
TOKYO AND ST. PETERSBURG.
Talk About Cooperation of England
and France-Comment Over Pros
poets Of Success.

PORTSMOUTH. August 19-Suddenly the
eyes of the nations have been turned by a
mysterious midnight dispatch from Ports.
mouth to Oyster Bay from the peace pleni-
potentiaries to the President of the United
States
With the early departure this morning OF
Baron Rosen for Oysters Bay, President
Roosevelt once more becomes the central
hgure on the worlds stage. The long mes
sage received after midnight by Mr..
Peirce, the assistant secretary of state,
was from the President. It was an invita-
ton for Baron Rosen to come there imme-
diately for conference.
The invitation was to Russia's ambassa.
dor at Washington. because as Russia's ac-
credited representative to this country 1t Is
entirely proper for the President at any
time to summon him to a conference.
Baron Rosen was at once awakened to
receive the message from Mr.. Peirce and
after conference with NJ. Witte it was
decided the ambassador should leave on an
early train for Oyster Bay.
1t was further decided on the Rupposf.
| ton that the secret could be kept that ie
should be officially announced that Baron
Rosen was going to Magnolia. according to
| yesterdays program. to receive NJ. Witte,
| who would arrive later in an automobile.
Plans for the Trip.
In the meantime, however, Mr.. Peirce was
up until early this morning making ar
rangements for Baron Rosen to reach
Oyster Bay at the earliest possible moment.
Orders were Immediately telegraphed to
| Lieut. Evans, commanding the naval yacht
| Sylph. to be at New Rochelle early this
| morning to receive the ambassador and
| take him at once to Oyster Bay. Arrange
ments We're also made for the Bay State
| Limited to make a special stop a. New
Rochelle in order to let the ambassador
board the Sylph there.
The change in the program became known
when Baron Rosen upon his arrival al Bos.
ton. instead of going directly to Magnolia,
waited for the 10 o'clock train for New
| York.
Whether he will remain at Oyster Bay
over night has not yet been decided II
| will all depend upon what transpires after
| he has seen the President. Baron Rosen
| will give to the President the full ofiicial
| details of the negotiations up to date, tho
text of the Japanese demands, the reply
| made by Russia TO each OF them, including
NJ. Whites emphatic statement to Baron
Komura that Russia would never pay one
| kopeck as indemnity or reimbursement for
war expenses.
Japan's Attitude.
Japan's attitude has already been outlined
to the President by Baron Kaneko. and it.
is not improbable that Baron Komura or
Mr. Takahira may see the President be.
tween now and Tuesday.
According to cipher kilograms received
| here by both the Russian and Japanese
missions 1t is understood that the efforts OF
| the powers who are ready to tender their
| good offices to prevent the rupture of the
negotiations will be especially directed to-
ward the persuasion of Japan to withdraw
her demand for indemnity. The assure
ance will be given by the powers that if
fl,a nd iS "
ceive adequate compensation in other ways.
| PORTSMOUTH, n. H.. August 19.-Presi.
dent Roosevelt has stepped into the breach
and is making Il last desperate effort to save
| the peace conference from shipwreck. That,
| in sentence, is believed to be the situation
| this morning.
Just what the President is doing has not
transpired but 1t is regarded as certain that
he has appealed both to Tokyo and st.
Petersburg to induce the warning countries
| to show spirit of concession and not allow
the conference to go onto the rocks next
| Tuesday. Mr.. Griscom and Mr.. Meyer may
| have been instructed to make direct appeals
| to the emperors of the two countries. Il
the cooperation OF France and England,
the allies of the respective beiligerents, 1a
secured something may be accomplished.
In the last resort the main obstacle to sucs
cess of the peace negotiations is certain to
prove to be the question of indemnity. Rus-
sia will not pay "a copeck of tribute" in
the language of NJ. Witte. That is believed
to be Russias last word on that question.
The question of the cession Of Saghalin may
be arranged.
Cost of War the Contention.
But unless Japan relinquishes her claim
for the cost of the war" hope is gone. II
is at Tokyo consequently, that the issue
will probably be decided. France, It is Ger,
tain, will support the Presidents effort. II
England will now bring pressure to bear. az
it is definitely stated she is now prepared to
do, the situation may be saved.
AS an indication of Intervention by Presi-
dent Roosevelt, came the departure early
today of Baron Rosen, the Russian am
bassador, for Oyster Bay. He left here on
the forenoon train, and had arranged to
take the 10 o'clock shore line express over
the New York, New Haven and Hartford
railroad from Boston In connection with
his trip, special arrangements were made
for the train to stop at New Rochelle to
| meet the yacht Sylph and proceed to Oys-
ter Bay arriving there some time this
afternoon. He will dine with the Presf-
dent, and probably return to Magnolia
either late tonight tomorrow morning.
He went by direct invitation of the Presi-
dent, communicated to him early this morn
ing by Assistant Secretary Peirce, and SO
careful was he to conceal his movements
that before me left. the official announce
ment was authorized that he going to
Magnolia. His change of plan was not COM
municated to the Japanese until telegram
was received here from Boston saying that
Baron Rosen had boarded the Bay state
limited for New York at 10 o'clock.
The Powers and st. Petersburg.
At ST. Petersburg the powers will en-.
deayor 10 induce the emperor to consent
to the cesson of Sakhalin. Once an agree
ment is reached regarding Sakhalin tarticle
- and indemnity (article 81 It is believed
the success of the negotiations would be
assured and that the belligerents would
easily come to an understanding regarding
article 10. the interned warships. and
ticle II, the Limitation of Russia's naval
strength in the far east.
Indeed, article TO- 1t is suggested by an
authority. might offer a partial solution 10
the insistence by Japan upon article Q. the
indemnity. II Russia should offer to buy
back at a generous price the interned war
SEipA It 10 believed the peace party n,