The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-08-10
Witte Betrays Himself.

Immediately after the plenipoten-
tiaries and their secretaries gathered
and exchanged complimentary words,
partly in Japanese, Mr.. Witte produced
a diplomatic note addressed to the Jap
anese plenipotentiaries in connection
with their failure to present their ere
dentia1s at yesterdays meeting.
I What the contents Of this note are
cannot yet be learned, but there is a
basis for the belief that Mr.. Witte took
occasion to give expression to the sur
prise which he undoub tedly felt that the
Japanese plenipotentiaries after having
from the outset Of the preliminary ne
gotlatiions laid so much stress ON the
necessity OF examining credentials be-
fore the first step was taken, should,
at. the first meeting, have failed to
bring with them full official letters.
1t was the understanding of the Rus
sian ENJOYS that Baron Komura would
decline to even open negotiations Of the
most informal character unless he had
satisfied himself of the validity of the
full powers of Mr.. Witte.
the note to show the irregularity of
yesterdays proceedings. The purpose
OF the Russian note was to make the
permanent record complete and make
It show. clearly the attitude of the plen-
1potent1arles from the beginning Of the
COuIeTenC6.
One of the most famous diplomats in
the world, commenting in London last
night on the extraordinary circum.
stances Of the Japanese appearing At
the first session of the peace conference
without their credentials, said:
komura appears without any ere.
dentials but with fluent and cOnious
explanations. The big Russian is taken
off his, guard, his credentials are al.
ready in the enemy's hands. Does it
take seer to understand that the
W ed@a 81 f1 I'M was PLAY to get knowl
before producing their owns
Undoubtedly the juggler diplomats
OF the orent had a half dozen sets of
credentials read y, covering every pos.
sible variation in the Russian instruc.
tions. Having seen. Whites papers
they simply chose one Of their half
dozen sets that met his. It is certain
thing that we, of Europe, will have to
20 to a school in diplomacy to the gen.
| t1emen from Japan. = -
Opening Of Fateful Day.
In glorious sunshine shortly after 6
O'Clock this forenoon, the peace pieni
potentiaries of the warning nations of
the east set out for the navy ward
here, to hold their second session, at
which, according to general belief
Japan might be expected to show he1
hand to her adversary. On the modera
ton or stiffness Of terms will depend
the continuation OF the war in the fa1
east.
In some well-informed quarters, how
ever, doubt existed whether the jap
anese would today lay their cards on
the table. For some reason the i'm
preston existed that Baron Komura
was sparring for a little more time
Indeed, it had been vaguely intimated
that some minor preliminaries regard
and that the whole day, possibly. might
be consumed in discussion on these de
tails.
The Japanese ENJOYS gave not the
J slightest hint Of what was to be ex
1 pected. With all the secrecy observed
by Oyama. in planning forward move
ment against the Russian commander
n-ch1ef in Manchuria, Baron Komurs
and his suite have prepared their diplo
matte campaign here.
Russians in the Dark.
M. Witte and his colleagues are If
the dark. They can only wait anG
watch for the decisive moment to ar
rive. 1t is known, however, that they
went to the meeting this morning
strongly inclined to believe that fol
some reason their adversaries would
not reveal their position today.
While it is undoubtedly to the ad
vantage of the Japanese plenipoten
tlarles to reduce the chances for diplo
matte sparring over the basis of the
negotiations to the nearest possibI,
limits, there will still be some room 70,
give and take.
4 Japan will present her maximum. bn
she also has her irreducible minimum