The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-04-08
JAPAN SURE
 OF POSITION. Feels Able to Dictate Terms of Peace. WILL ASK AN INDEMNITY Article by Mikad0'S Former
 Interior Minister. Roads Around Gunshu Pass in Such Condition That Possibilities Must
 Be Necessarily Delayed
 for Some Time.

London, April 7.-Baron Suyematsu.
 formerly Japanese Minister of the In-
 terior. has written an interesting and
 significant article for The Outlook un-
 der the heading. War and Indemnity The Japanese Claim The whole
 trend of the article Is intended to
 show that Japan will carry on the war
 until Russia consents to pay indem- nity. The Baron says:
 "A canon of the Japanese Bushido Is One should not unsheath the sword
 unless in case of absolute necessity, nor restore 1t to its sheath unless one is totally overcome or has secured
 equitable satisfaction for ones cause. ,.
 This Is our ideal international inter- course. The sword of Japan is drawn and the act for which 1t was unsheath-
 ed has scarcely been attained. We want a peace which will secure tram quility in the Far East for at least a generation or two.
 The world should know that in the present war Japan staked her very ex-
 istence. whereas, with the enemy il was a mere caprice. Why, then, Tn case of defeat, should not Russia be made responsible In equitable accord ance with the nature of the affair?
 believe, therefore, that in case of the
 adversary asking for peace. the satts-
 faction which she will have to make to Japan should include making good
 the material loss of Japan; in other words, indemnity"
 Baron Suyematsu says further: "Ja-
 pan has not formulated definite terms
 of peace Because she might be accused of skinning the bear before it Is shot
 We have. however, outlined our idea. Demand for Indemnity. ortI nf fha right of Japan's position in demanding in- demuity as a basic condition and con troverts the idea which, he says, he finds prevalent outside of Japan, that Japan is willing to make peace at any priee. some say" the Baron con ltinues, that for humanity's sake an afnaistice should be concluded with a view to negotiating peace. It is all
 very we'll to talk of humanity. but no
 injustice must be perpetrated in the name of humanity. If a proposition
 arising out of the question of human ity gives more advantage to one more than another of the contending par ties, 1t cannot be justice"
 Baron Suyematsu treats sarcasticaI- ly the special plea that Russia should | be allowed to "save her face" and com pares Japan to a dwarf fighting giant and says: '"rhe public at large seems to have gauged the relative value of l Russia and Japan. They are glad that | the large bubble which has been caus- | ing a nightmare to so many people for
 so long d time has been pricked. They have seen that 1t was no use to sup press Japan's aspirations by the conn | bined force of western powers. There
 seems floating in the air some sort of compassion for our adversary This I deem an inconsistency arising out of some psychological instability" Baron Suyematsu refers to the an- nOuncement of St. Petersburg early In the war that an enormous indemnity would be demanded and that the terms would be dictated in Tokio.
 We are far from assuming such an attitude" the writer says, "but we be- lieve that justice ought to be done us. No mere sentiment shall be allowed 10 decide the merits of the case" In con- l clusion the writer says:
 Some say that Japan might he in- duced to forego a claim for indemnity
 provided England and America gave good assurance for future peace. We appreciate. of course, the general sem timents of England and America. We
 friendship with these two countries,
 more particularly than other countries.
 We should therefore, be very sorry if
 we were to be told that we should
 forego, on account of that friendship,
 any claim to what we deem justice TO
 demand"