The Washington times., 1905-06-11

self great diplomat by the final test
OF results wrought.
American diplomacy has played a large
part In the war, even aside from its
contribution to the peace effort. 1t was
America that pressed the demand upon
China IN the last months before hostili-
ties began. for assurance of the open
door in Manchuria, and secured. with
the acquiesence of Russia, concessions
of two ports, which established firmly
the principle of free commerce.
1t was America, too, that led In the
movement which induced the two pow
ers to agree on limiting the area of
hostilities. And 1t was America which.
more correctly than any other power SO
directly concerned, enforced absolute
neutrality.
Americas Role in Contest.
1t is now up to the peace conferees
The preliminarieS are yet uncertain
The conferees must be named, and each
power, through friendly intermediary,
doubtless tbs, United States Government
must indicate to the other who its rep
resentatives will be.
The place of meeting must be deter
mined; the question of an armistice and
suspension of hostilities is certain to
require early consideration, which in
vClves the making Of a protocol that
shall prescribe the status to be MAIN
tanned By both parties in the war zone
during the peace negotiations
Thus the great task of bringing peace
is but begun
When the peace conference meets it
VIII be meeting of the representa-
tives of Russia and Japan only There
will no III inf
powers.
1t has long been known that Japan
was determined to make her terms di-
rectly with Russia. The President S
suggestion of this method, in his iden-
teal note, now accepted by BOTH makes
certain that it will be followed
What Remains to Be Done.
The peace conference will be con-
fronted by many and grave problems,
some of them unique. There are prece-
dents as to indemnity but none pre-
sents quite parallel case.
Nominally. the battlefields have been
iE the territory of neutral. There is
the question. too, of disposal of interned
vessels, never before determined.
very respectable navy, once flying
the Russian flag, is now scattered in
Eastern ports, dismantled and policed
by neutral powers. Their disposal must
be determined by the terms of the
treaty.
And more important and delicate than
any of these issues, because it involves
every other country. is the question of
the commercial status that shall be
agreed upon between Russia and Japan
regarding the neutral territory in which
they have fought. Both are pledged to
watch with jeslous interest the steps by
which they move toward fulfiilment of
the pledge
Russo Japanese Alliance.
There have been repeated suggestions
of post-bellum alliance of Russia and
Japan for control of the East. Russian
statesmen especially have been able to
invest the idea with many aspects of
advantage to both powers.
A peace that would undertake any
thing like the organization of Russo
Japanese trust in Oriental influence
would be poorly received IN Europe and
America. Danger of such an event,
however. is doubtless small. for Japan
now stands to dominate the Chinese
empire. Any concession of joint inter-
est to Russia would be gratuitous and
unnecessary.
Question of Indemnity.
Turning specifically to the indemnity
question. the most interesting and IL
Illuminating precedents are found in the
treaties which ended the RUSSO Turkish
and Franco-German wars.
After Russia had thoroughly defeated
Turkey she exacted, by the treaty of
San Stefano. a total Of s7oO. 600 900, of
fsok7 M
claims held by Russians against Turkey
Russia knew that Turkey could not pay.
and agreed to take certain territory In
lieu OF the money. But the congress of
Berlin interfered. and forced restitution
of the territory
Russia had to content herself with the
Turk promise to pay the cash some
day. The promise is an asset of very
doubtful value
1t thus appears that Russia has her
self set the example of taking the
pound Of flesh. She will make a poor
hgure protesting against the big pay
ment which Japan is confidently ex-
pected 20 demand
frances Indemnity Bill.
Russias closest friend. perhaps, in the
present war, Germany. has likewise set
the example of taking huge indemnity
She exacted 5000, O00, 900 francs, or sI,0o0,-
e00.0C0. from France after the Franco
German war. and in addition took Al
sace-Lorraine
bismarck did not think France could
raise the money, but he was mistaken.
he bound himself to evacuate the oc-
cupied French territory as the money
was PAID over. France went down into
its wonderful horde of stocking saw
fngs, pulled out the money, paid the
deet-and in doing SO prospered while
she hurried Germany into great finan-
cial disaster
This story of Frances payment of the
German indemnity Is one of the most IN
terestinS that is being considered by
pubhcists and fnanciers at present
France paid her billion dollars and w.nt
to work to earn 1t back Prosperity
such as never had been known rested on,
her fair fields and towns
But Germany. with the profits of her
successful war IN her pockets, turned
To speculation. A tremendous boom