New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-31
FRAMING PEACE TREATY.
~. de Martens Tells of President, s
Proposals Ork of the Press.

Nj de Martens, legal adviser to the Russian
commissioners. in The North American Re-
view.
Heretofore it has been axiom in the dplo-
matte world that absolute secrecy concerning
the proceedings of conference is the sine qua
Of its success. Consequently, at the nrsL
sitting of all international congresses the dele
gates Of the various governments represented
agree to reveal nothing that transpires there.
This rule was also observed the opening day
of the Portsmouth Conference. In European
countries the keeping of the promise is nearly
always possible. In the United States the
trarv has been found to be true. 1t is an ad-
mitted fact that most of the secret negotiations
of the conference revealed and imme-
diately published by the American newspapers.
The press men or correspondents of the Amer
lean dailies know secret In their eyes the
public has the right to be told of everything
that interests IT, and, as the Portsmouth Con-
ference held the attention not only or the Amer
lean peopIe but of the whole world the Amer
lean press considered it to be the duty of every
newspaper man worthy of the name TO take
all possible means to put the puDIlc au courant
of everything said and done at the navy yard,
and elsewhere too [ am certain that in no
other country and at no other international con-
gress has the press played so important a part
as in the United States at the portsmouth, Con-
ference: and l consider 1t my duty 10 add that
never perhaps has the daily journal exercised
so henetcent an influence as during these pro-
ceedings The fact is that, as the whole uni
verse and the United States in particular. most
earnestly desired the end of the war and the
establishment of peace. the American press
put itself at the very beginning OF the Ports
mouth negotiations. at Inc SeIN4ce VI ILLS hooi0
If at the beginning of the negotiations Ameri-
can sympathfes leaned perhaps a little more
toward the Japanese the American press did
,nuch to hold the balance even between the two
haIIiperents From the moment when the news
naper world in the United States was convinced
that Russia had the right to expect respect Ior
its interests and dignity the American press
changed it's attitude, percelVlng that only py
resnecting these just requirements OF Rassla
co,ld there be any hope of securing peace Ihea
that the daily organs OF me neeH f
became a powerful auxiliary or the frlends Oh
peace and concord. 1t is therefore with the
greatest pleasure that 1 render TINS homage TO
the American press. ana SelZe the occe.9ioll 70
express my personal gratitude Tor the klnd anu
honora Bile way in which | was treated py the
nress men of the United States.
The conclusion which would draw, from the
foregoing facts is this: Though secrecy shouid
continue TO be the rule generaIly opserEeu III
these international diplomatic meetings. crcuih-
stances sometimes require that this course
should be abandoned.
During three long weeks the pourpariers be-
tween the representatives of the two powers
seemed TO show the absolute lmposslolhty OF
attaining the desired object that is. peace.
There were especially TWO obstacles IN tile way
the Japanese demands that Russia should ceoe
Saghalien and that Russia should pay Japan d
49, Indemnity These two conditions Russia
cateeoricafIy rejected and the failure OF the con
ference seemed inevitable. Then 1t was lildl the
zSrseident of the United States again basing ms
action on the principles of The Hague Conven-
tion considered himself once more 1usuned in
intervening between the two diSputihg nations
A. first MI Roosevelt proposed that a commas
sion composed Of neutrals whose declslo!i, n ~
ever would not be binding on the cohtehdihg
p peaia shonId nav to Japan. But this proposal
Was Immediately abandoned because OF its evil
dently impracticable nature The second inter
,-entou of the President was more errectlEe anu
hannv Janan was now to be asked to Withdraw
her demand for indemnity and the car VINO VINO
lar.ra5 cincere;v TO see the unfortunate war
80 ,,ar IN consent to the cession of the
eo1tbern norton of the island of Saghalien. IT
wac at the sitting Of August ~ that an accord.
taeed on these mutual concessions, was proushI
aio11t and during the six days that followed
the spuaons Of the denttoe treaty sd G for peh he
We = last OH September D. the treaty
Us concluded ana \ battery of artillery IN
frt ~ he building where the sittinss had been
Ia ared a salute of nineteen guns IN hohor
+ta eryeat