The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-08-15
Article Five Regarding CessiOn
Of SakhaIin Is Passed.
DIFFERENCES APPEAR
The ENJOYS viii Proceed to
Consider Other Articles.
A Suggestion That Sakhalin Be
Held in Partnership.

portsmouth, N II, aug. 15.-Artlcle
of the peace condition was under
consideration by the Russian and Jap
anese ENJOYS agreed upon during the
forenoon sitting of the conference to-
day. Consideration also was given to
article 8. but in the course of discus
sion difference of views developed and
it was decided to take note of the op-
posing opinions and proceed to the
consideration of other articles. No fur
ther agreements had been reached
when the conference adjourned to re-
sumo at o'clock.
The following is the official an
nouncement: In the morning session
today the conference has discussed
articles and 5. Article 4 was unani-
mously agreed upon. Not being able
to arrive at a unanimous decision on
article 5, the plenipotentiaries have de-
cided to take note of the divergence of
views and to proceed to the discussion
of the other articles The conference
will be resumed at o'clock.
This statement was made by Mr
Seibert of the Russian embassy
Article relates to the surrender OF
Russian leases on the Liaotung PENN
sula, and article was passed over on
account OF differences in regard to the
cession of Sakhalin.
Today's Session.
Portsmouth, Aug. 15.-The peace con-
ference began at minutes before 10
o'clock The ENJOYS went to the navy
yard in their motor cars but the trip
was somewhat SLOW, on account of driz-
zling rain, which made the roads mud2y.
Ten minutes after their arrival at the
navy yard the nominators had taken
their places in the conference room and
work began.
At the morning session today consid-
of A xrrl.f fan al fo the
Lao Tung peninsula and the surrender
of the Russian leases, was begun. AS
the cession of Sakalin is the fifth ar
ticle, the natural deduction would be
that today would witness a collision and
possibly a deadlock. But it appeared
more likely that the question of the
cession of the island, upon which neither
side is prepared to yield, when reached
by mutual agreement will be postponed
until the end. The policy of each side
as understood being to maneuyer to
place the responsibility of a rupture on
the other, it is regarded as a practical
certainty that neither will insist at this
tuncture upon precipitating a situation
which will decide this issue. The plan
is almost certain to be to pass over the
disputed articles and see how far an
agreement is posSible-then to return
and attack the obstacles. This is the
logical and general method of diplom-
acy. 1t has the great advantage of
bringing the plenipotentiaries to a
rapprochement upon every possible
point and clearly defining the points of
divergence, narrowing the issues which
divide the negotiations to the fewest
possible number. If, for instance, the
disputed points were reduced to two
as it is considered certain they eventual
ly will be, the plenipotentiaries would
be enabled to bargain or compromise
to offer proposition and counter-proposi-
ton
World Mould Kuox1-
If, in the end, agreement were found
to be impossible, the world would know
and be able to form its judgment of the
merits of the respective contentious and
place the blame for the carnage in the
far east.
The very fact that ultimately the
world will be enabled to fix the RESPONSE
bility for ruture. that in the final
analysis the envoys are on trial before
the public of the world, constitutes the
main hope of a successful end of thA
negotiations. Article 8, which was
adopted, it develops, was incorrectly
stated to be the cession of the Chinese
Eastern railroad. The article comes
later. The third article pertained to
the restoration of the Chinese admins
tration in the province of Manchuria,
and was a necessary and natural
sequence to article 2, providing for
mutual evacuation and mutual recogni-
ton of Chinese territorial integrity and
can diplomacy has fought. The mis-
take was due to the fact that. the rail-
road question involved generally in the
question restoration of Chinese authori-
ty in Manchuria, was touched.
When the plenipotentiaries again
faced each other the first business be-
fore taking up article four was the
reading and signing of the protocol of
yesterdays proceedings, including the
draft of the three articles agreed upon
and the minutes of the discussion. The
Associated Press Is now able te state
authoritatively from both sides that
the twelve articles now before them
constitute the "basis'' of a prosnective
treaty of Washington but as the
wording is subject to revision, it does
not as accepted, necessarily establish
the final test.
The Associated Press is informed
that while covering the surrender of
the lease of Liaotung peninsula and
the Blonde and Elliott islands. which
are included in the lease hold, 'article
1our, does not touch Port Arthur and
Dalny, which are covered in a sepa-
rate article. Japan, it is understood
insists at least for the present upon
the occupation of these two places
The question of Russian government
ana private property will probably be
dealt with Dy mixed commissions as is
customary at the conclusion of a war
when fortified cities pass possession.
Mr.. Witte Stands Pat.
There is what is regarded as alb
solute warrant for the statement that
Mr.. Witte is not referring questions
regarding various articles to St Peters
burg, or Peterhof. All that he has
done thus far, has been in pursuance
of his own decisions although he is ad-
vising his sovereign post facto of what
Is done But as to the two main pro-
positions, if the time should ever arise
when in his judgment, concessions
should be made upon either side, it can
be regarded as certain that he would
consult the emperor before committing
himself In his interviews with the
QmperQT before he left St Petersburg