Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-23
JAPAN IS UNWILLING
To Discuss the Suggestion of
an Armistice
PENDING PEACE PLANS
HOPES ENTERTAINED OF PRE-
VENTING FURTHER BLoODSHED.
COUNT Lamsdorff's Illness Cause Of De-
lay in Perfecting Arrangements for
Naming Plenipotentiaries.
PENDING PEACE PLANS

ST PETERSBURG. June 23.-There IS not
likely to be any further move In the direc-
hon Of an armistice until the plenipoten-
,iaries are appointed and the time OF their
meeting is definitely fixed. Japan seems un-
willing to discuss any new issue until these
swo questions are settled.
This does not necessarily maen that all
rope of arranging a suspension of HOSTILE
les befor the meeting has disappeared, but
is an indication of Japan's mood 1t In
ireases the doubt as to whether she could
,e induced to relinquish temporarily the
strategic advantages which she evidently
believes she enjoys.
Indeed 1t might raise the suspicion OF
pparring for time until Field Marshal
oyama has developed his offensive and is
actually In process of delivering his blow,
when Japan could easily plead that it was
too late.
The delay In settling the matter of the
plenipotentiares is therefore all the more
1eplored by those desiring to avoid further
oloodshed. Both countries SEEM perfectly
willing to name negotiators, but each evi-
IDENTIFY desires the other to show its hand
irst.
Lamsdorf's Illness.
On account Of Foreign Minister Lams-
dorff's illness Ambassador Meyer was un-
able to have a personal interview with him
either yesterday or today, but 1t is believed
that communications from Washington are
passing In writing. It appears that Count
Lamsdorff has had a touch OF heart trouble
and his physician again today forbade him
to leave his room, but promised to allow the
minister to go to the chancellory tomorrow.
Count Lamsdorffs Illness naturally has
created gossip to the effect that he Is about
to retire and NJ. Muravieff, Russian ambas-
sador to Rome, and NJ. D'Iswolsky minister
1hlr rrlr, ,a1 1, to 1.,hy u
successors, but as yet there is no evidence
that the rumors have more foundation than
those of similar character which preceded
them.
The Russian Appointees.
There is strong reason for saying that the
Russian plenipotentiaries will include a mil
tary man of high rank, though as yet there
IS no clue to his identity. except that 1t will
aot be Gen. Kuropatkin.
The downfall of Admiral Alexieff and the
suppression of the far eastern committee
materially increases the likelihood that M.
Witte will also represent Russia, since he is
an inveterate enemy of the war cabal,"
which now seems definitely to have fallen
under imperial disfavor.
Alexieff's Retirement.
The announcement of Admiral Alexiefrs
retirement not accompanied by the
usual rescript OF praise and it bears all the
earmarks of imperial disfavor The retire
ment of Grand Duke Alexis as high admiral
and of Alexief as viceroy of the far east
and the suppression of the far eastern COM
mittee In quick succession Is the best evi-
dence that Japan could need that the en-
peror has washed his hands of the whole
Manchurian adventure. The liberal press
greets the demise of the far eastern COM
mittee with a howl of exultation as being
the final blow to the policy which led to
the present war.
The Slovo, M. Whites organ, traces the
origin Of the war to the late Interior Minis
ter Won Plehve, and continues: The black
page which preceded the bloody pages of
the book of our far eastern affairs has at
last been torn out by the emperor and all
Russia will rejoice"