Omaha daily bee., 1905-08-13
THE PEACE NEGOTIATIONS.

The advices from Portsmouth are not
reassuring, yet it should not be as
sumed that the rejection by the Russian
ENJOYS of the two chief demands Of ia
pan necessarily means that the peace
conference will be a failure. 1t was
expected that demand for what is prac-
tically an indemnity and for the cession
of Sakhalin would be rejected by the
Russian ENJOYS. That was well under
stood before the meeting of the confer
ence and by none better than the Japa-
nese ENJOYS.
There is room, however, for a compro-
mise and it is not impossible that the
japanese have this in view. They are
manlfestly entitled to something Ly way
of reimbursement for the expenses of
the war; They may be satisfied with
something less than the total cost and 1t
is quite possible that Russia will con-
clude to pay n sum, say One-half, of what
the expenditures of Japan have been up
to the present time. This would amount
to perhaps $3.50, 100000 and such a de-
mand would be most reasonable. A pay
ment Of this amount would not bear very
heavily upon Russia, could be readily
obtained through a loan and would not
involve any humiliation to that power.
In fact, the talk about the payment Of
an indemnity by Russia being humilia-
ting is manifestly absurd. The justice
of Japan's claim in this respect is adj
mitted on all hands and it cannot fairly
be said that she is immoderate or unrea-
sonable in the demand that has been
made for a reimbursement of the cost of
the war.
AS to the proposed cession of the island
Of Sakhalin, already in the possession of
Japan as a part of her conquest, it Is
difficult to see what good reason Russia
can give for not ceding it. Legitimately
the island belongs to Japan. She was In
the first place wrongfully deprived of it,
or rather induced to part with it under
conditions which were essentially UNI
/ fair. In capturing the island Japan has
simply come into her rightful ownership
and therefore is entirely justified in de-
handing that what properly belongs to
her shall be recognized by treaty. So
! far as Russia is concerned, Sakhalin is
little better than a penal colony, almost
nothing having been done to develop
such resources as the island possesses
Undoubtedly Japan would improve il
and get some benefit from it, besides
which it has some strategic value to that
country. Having gained military con
troll of Sakhalin Japan can undoubtedly
maintain her hold upon it, so that Rus
sia's rejection of the demand for its csc
sion seems to be quite without justifica
ton.
The latest advices indicate that the
Japanese ENJOYS are inclined to adhere
firmly to their demands. 1t is also said
that the Russians will persist in the re
fusal to accede to the chief of these de
mands. There is still chance, however
that the conference will not prove a fail
ure. 1t is possible that in the last ex
tremity there may be mediation, in which
event President Roosevelt, perhaps witt
the concurrence of all the neutral pow
ers, might suggest a way to peace nc
ceptable to the belligerents Meanwhile
military operations continue in the fan
east and the forces of Oyama are saiC
to be in readiness to give battle If the
negotiations at Portsmouth should prove
futile.