Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1905-09-09
TREATY IS FINISHED
Consists of Preamble and Sew.
enteen Articles.
pLENIPOTENTIARIES TO GET AWAY.
How Baron Komura and NJ. witts
Conducted the Arguments Daring
the Conference-signing to
he Exclusive Affair

PORTSMOUTH, Sept. 4.-From an
official source 1t is learned that the
treaty is completed 1t consists Of
there were still differences about the
wording Of the protocol Of the last sit
ting, which must be signed before the
treaty itself can be signed. The Japa-
nese presented protocol to which the
Russians took exception. The differ
ences, however, are expected to be
Strengthened out today, and it seems
quite possible the treaty will be signed
this afternoon.
Mr.. de Martens, who is extremely
anxious to get back to Russia, has en-
gagged passage on La Lorraine, sailing
from New York Thursday, and leaves
here on Wednesday. His great ability
as an authority on international law
has been of inestimable service in the
drafting of the treaty.
The plenipotentiaries and the at
taches of the two missions seem to be
fully as anxious for the curtain to
drama as the little colony Of news
paper correspondents and summer
guests, who are waiting to be Sin at
the DEATH"
The work of engrossng the treaty
has already begun, Mr.. Rojestvensky
doing the caligraphic work of the
French and Mr.. Adashi of the English
text Controversies over the phraseol-
Ogy still continue, and there were sew
eral conferences between Mr.. de Mar
tens and Mr.. Dennison, differences he
ing referred for adjustment to the
principals The japanese are proving
great stieklers for words. They cling
tenaciously to their ideas. Careful
preparation and methods have been
the secret of their successes ON land
and sea, and in their diplomatic
struggles at Portsmouth the same
qualities have been displayed.
Baron Komura always stated the
Japanese position upon a given point
briefly. but with great care, and wheL
NJ. Witte, whose method was entirely
different, would try TO draw out eX-
plantations he would stick doggedly to
the statement he had made Nj. White
man of affairs, resourceful and tai
ented as he is admitted to be- had his
case in his head lie never brought
any papers with him. He met every
thing which came up in an offhand
way, weighing it instantly in his mind,
analyZing it. arguing the logic pro and
con and stating his view quite blunt
Iy, never asking for time to consider
Baron Komura, OH the other hand,
,,-;tl sat.. l.,
induced to enter into the region of ar
gument He stuck to the brief before
him. Speaking always quite slowly,
he would repeat over and over again
what he had stated as if he had learned
his lesson by note.
Several times NJ. White would say:
sYes, | understand perfectly what you
say, but what do you mean? What Is
your real objeet?"' Then Baron Komu-
IA would go back and restate his prop
osition almost exactly as he had doyIe
originally. Both systems had their ad-
vantages. BY insisting, insisting, in
sisting, Baron Komura would some
times catch NJ. Witte off his guard and
provoke him into statements which
were always eagerly seized upon
AS a final resort Baron Komura was
always ready with written solution
of question and would produce it
suddenly, saying: This is what we
propose What have you got to of
ferf' Then the value of preparation
and foresightedness was apparent. NJ
Witte seldom had crystallized counter
proposition to make. But, on the 9th
er hand, whenever NJ. Witte succeeded
In leading his adversary into the realm
OF argument where previous prepara-
ton availed nothing he had Baron Ko-
mura at disadvantage
One of those present lilened Baron
Komura to horse in "blinders"-as
long as he was ON the beaten road,
with his work cut out ahead of him, he
got along swimmingly, but the instant
he was off the road into the woods
with the CYLINDERS" removed he ap-
peared to be confused and lost and
fastened back as speedily as possible
to the road he had mentally Travelled
so often and with every foot of which
he was familiar
One of the articles in the treaty pro-
vides for the protection of private
rights and property acquired under
Russian control in south Sakhalin and
in Dalny, Port Arthur and other places
in the Liaotung peninsula The Rus
Sian government has had innumerable
petitions on this subject. Several of
them are from Americans who held
concessions in southern Sakhaln.
While full synopsis of the treaty win
be cabled to the governments of the
two countries, the actual texts will not
be known Mt Tokyo or st. Petersburg
until the plenipotcntiaries arrive. 1t
Is expected that to cable such a long
document textually would make it
possible for an expert later, when the
text becomes public, to work out the
government ciphers. NJ Witte will
personally convey the text TO St Pc
tersburg and Baron Komura to Tokyo