Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1905-08-25
ALL DEPENDS
UPON RUSSIA
Suggestion of President Roosevelt
in Rescuing Conference from
Failure Is Now Known.
JAPAN WILLING TO ACCEPT PLAN
Solution offered by President Involves
Recession by Japan Upon the
Cession of Sakhalin and Re-
cession by Russia as to
Indemnity.

Portsmouth, N. H., Aug. 23.-The
Associated Press is now in a position
to reveal substantially the suggestion
of President Roosevelt for breaking
the existing deadlock in the peace ne
eotiations and rescuing the conference
from failure. His solution would in
geniously permit the satisfaction of
the Japanese for reimbursement for
the cost of the war and at the same
time enable Russia to face the world
with the declaration that she had not
ceded foot of territory or paid a
kopec of war tribute to the victor. The
solution is the one which has hereto
fore been described in the Associated
Press dispatches as the natural and
I logical compromise. Tersely stated it
consists In an agreement by Russia to
repurchase possession of either all or
half of the island of Sakhalin now in
the military occupation of Japan for
sum. the amount of which, if the two
countries cannot agree, shall be de-
cided by some method of arbitration
hereafter to be decided. The purchase
money, together with the sum Japan
would obtain from the cession of the
Chinesee Eastern railroad and the
maintenance OF the Russian prisoners
in Japan would, it is estimated, about
equal the amount claimed by Japan as
her bill for the cost of the war. Prac-
tically. therefore, the solution offered
by the president involves recession by
Japan upon article 3 (the cession of
Sakhlin) and recession by Russia upon
article 9 Indemnity. 1t seems prac-
tically certain, though this cannot be
affirmed positively, that the president
yesterday was able to give Mr.. Witte
substantial assurance that Japan
would be willing to accept such COM
promise. This is apparently supported
by the authoritative Japanese state
ment made to the Associated Press
last night in the reply TO a question as
to whether Japan had not decided to
1 make substantial concessions: 1T all
depends upon Russia"
1t was the presidents message to
Mr.. Witte which caused the sensation
of the day. Early in the morning had
come the official announcement that
the meeting of the conference which
was to have been held yesterday had
been postponed until to-day. The pub
! lie reason assigned was that the proto-
coils for submission at the sitting had
not been completed. But a few hours
later the true reason leaked out. J. l..
McGrew, one of the stenographers at
tached to the executive offices at Oys-
ter Bay, had arrived with a communi-
cation from the president for the Rus
sian plenipOtentiaries Mr.. Witte and
Baron De Rosen had left the hotel os-
| tenslbly for ride in an automobile to
| York Beach. but instead had quietly
| slipped over 10 the conference build
! ing at the navy yard to receive the
message from Assistant Secretary
| PIERCE. The most elaborate precau-
| tions had been taken to insure secrecy.
| From 1880 until 1:10 Mr.. Witto and
Baron De Rosen remained at the con-
! ference building with Mr.. Peirce.
Mr.. Peirce, the third assistant sec
retary OF state, last night issued the
| following statement: NO envoy or
the president had any conference with
Mr.. Witte or Baron Rosen to-day. nor
! did l have any conference with either
! of them. nor was closeted with them.
| They had business at the navy yard
and my duties required me to be pres
| ent at the yard to make suitable ar
rangements for their comfort. But in
no way, shape or manner did | have
conference with them on behalf of the
| president in relation to their negotia-
ations with Japan"
Portsmouth, n. H.. Aug. est is
stated that Baron Komura has agreed
to offer ct the session at $50 this
morning the compromise proposition.
A high authority believes 1t impossible
that final rupture can come to-day,
no matter what the character of the
emperor's Hnal instructions to Mr..
Witte may be. IF the negotiations
can be prolonged into next week."
said he, 80 much pressure will be
brought to bear upon the emperor that
he will not be able to resist"