Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1905-08-10
HISTORIC
MEETING
THE ENJOYS OF PEACE
MEET AND GREET
EACH OTHER
PRESIDENT RooSEVELT's TOAST
MAKES A PROFOUND
IMPRESSION.
AT PORTSMOUTH, N. H., BEGINS
THE WORK OF ENDING
A WAR.

history was made IN oyster Day
Saturday Russians and japanese
clasped hands and greeted one an
other with all outward evidence of
cordially and for the first time since
nations began to have relations one
with another, an executive of great
power received the ENJOYS of two bel
ligerent countries on a mission OF
peace. President Roosevelt, on behalf
OF the United States and it's people,
extended formal greetings to the rep
resentatives of Russia and Japan, in
troduced the plenipotentiaries TO one
another and entertained them at an
elaborate luncheon, at which Russians
and Japanese fraterniZed with one an
other as comrades rather than as
enemies. The occasion was impress
sive. It was attended not by pomp
and ceremony, but by simplicity
and frankness characteristic of the
president and the people of America.
Due honor was paid the distinguished
guests of the president and of the
country and they were received with
all the dignity to which their exalted
rank entitled them.
The ENJOYS Of the two countries
were received by the president on
board the Mayfower separately. The
Japanese ENJOYS who arrived on the
cruiser Tacoma were the first to
board the ship and be received by
Mr.. Roosevelt. Soon after the cruiser
Chattanooga came to anchor about
half a mile from the Maytiower and
the Russian ENJOYS who were on
board were transferred TO the receP
ton ship. After receiving the mem
bers of the Russian suite and pre-
senting all in turn TO his personal
guests, the president then brought the
two sets of ENJOYS together, introduc
ing them formally to one another. II
was a notable scene as the diminu
tive Baron Komura shook hands with
the giant Witte at the instance of the
president of the United States. The
greetings of the members of the two
special missions were distinctly form
al but not the slightest suggestion of
enmity was shown on either side.
Although the luncheon was served
with the other guests standing, the
president escorted the four ENJOYS 10
chairs in one corner of the saloon and
pin half a minute, through tact and
delicacy, the whole party was engaged
in animated conversation over their
dishes. The conversation generally
was in French. as Mr.. Witte speaks
very little English. Baron Rosen and
Baron Komura chatted as if they had
been lifelong friends and Minister
Takahira, at no time particularly COM
municative, entered into the CONVEX.
sation with zest and interest. During
the luncheon President Roosevelt pro-
posed a notable toast
81 propose a toast 10 which there
will be no answer and TO which | ask
you 10 drink in silence, standing. /
drink TO the welfare and prosperity OF
the sovereigns and peoples of the two
great nations whose representatives
have met one another on this ship. IL
is my most earnest hope and prayer
in the interest of not only these two
great powers. but of all mankind, that
a just and lasting peace may speed
lily be concluded between them
There was no mistaking the earn-
estness and sincerity of the presidents
speech. Every one in the little group.
the language he spoke, was deeply I'M
pressed, not alone with the moment
BUSINESS Of the occasion, but each word
seemed TO impress more thoroughly
upon each mind the fact that they hal
a great duty TO perform and that this
man was pointing the way.
With this sentiment the president
left them. 1t was scene that will
never be forgotten by those who wiz.
messed ii. On one side the huge Rus
sian, NJ. White, and on the other side
Baron Komura the diminutive. both
so typical OF the country they repre-
sent. For just a second the eyes Of
these two great men LETT those OF tirr
man who was speaking and sought
each others
The sessions of the ENJOYS for the
two countries will be held at the navy
yard in Portsmouth, n. H.. for which
port the ENJOYS sailed on the Mayfiow-
er and Dolphin, the Galveston escort
ing them.
Great DiNider