The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-06-19
MEN TO MAKE PEACE
ARE NOT YET NAMED
Russia and Japan viii Send
Their Representatives
WHO WILL THEY Be -?
Nelidoff May Head Russa's PIenipo-
tentiaries-lto or Yamagata Will
Look Out for Japan Presi-
dents Tact Commended.

Washington, June 1S.-Russia and Japan
have tentatively decided each to appoint
three plenipotentiaries to represent them
in the Washington conference.
M. Nelidon, 1t is understood, has al
ready accepted the chairmanship of the
| Russian mission and is being consulted
about the selection of his assistants, but
Washington has not yet heard whether
Marquis Itos health will permit him to
come as the ranking Japanese plenipo-
tentary.
The belief here is that Field Marshal
Yamagata will be designated in Ito's
place, should the Marquis be unable to
accept.
1t Is expected that the conference will
convene here about the middle of Au-
gust.
Little Progress Attempted.
Pending the official announcement Of
the plenipotentiaries little progress toward
the arrangement of an armistice is be-
ing attempted on either side. 1t is i'm
probable, however. that Japan would in
sist on Russia making the request It is
generally expected that when the mis-
sions have been announced the President
will suggest to the bellgerents the ad-
visibility of a limited truce and that
| this suggestion will be accepted.
The whole question of an armistice has
| been informally discussed at the White
| House, and the belief in diplomatic cir
| cles Is that there Will not be a hitch on
| this score. Japan prefers that the ar
mistice should be signed in the field by the
Russian and Japanese commanders, and
| there are indications that this will find
approval in st. Petersburg.
Presidents Tact Commended.
General commentator is voiced in
| diplomatic circles of the Presidents tact
| In not communicating to Japan the sug-
| gestion from st, Petersburg for a recon-
| sderation of the selection of Washington
for the confer ence The irreVoeable op-
position of Japan to any capital of Europe
| was a matter of common knowledge in
| Washington and the transmission of any
such suggestion, it was realized, would
only invite an emphatic refusal from
/ Japan and possibl seriously menace the
convening of the conferences
! 1t was learned today that the issuance
/ of the authoritative statement on the
subject from the Russian embassy here
| late last night was based upon advices
| from st. Petersburg that the selection
! of Washington was to be officially an
nounced in the Russian capital of the
| United States, removing all doubt on
| that score. There have been several ex-
| plantations current among diplomats as
| to the reason for Russas suggestion, one
being that Ii was based on n msunder-
standing about the finality of the deci-
sion to select Washington and the other
that the st. Petersburg government be-
ieved the Presiden' greatly preferred
The Hague. Both explanations, however,
are unofficial. and in view OF the Rus
sian embassys authoritative statement
the incident is regarded closed Pessi-
mistic reports from Europe about the
Washington conference are not shared
by the diplomats here.
Views of An Ambassador.
A European ambassador, who has from
the outset been in close touch with the
negotiations. said tonight:
What Europe does not seem to real
ze is that In these negotiations the
! President has been dealing not with the
war party in Russia, nor with Count
| Lamsdorff, but with Emperor Nicholas
direct. There Is a thorough understand
| ing between the President and the EN-
peror The latter fully appreciated the
motives which prompted the Presidents $
appeal for peace and sent In reply as re-
| sponsive an answer as he felt Russia
| could afford to Make That Russia does
not go into the conference pledged to
peace is fully understood. but this does
not mean that her plenipotentiaries will
not come clothed with full powers to ne
gotlate peave provided Japans terms be
reasonable, nor does 1t reflect in any way
upon the sincerity with which Russia re-
| CARDS the conference"
| Neither the Russian ambassador nor
the Japanese minister were callers at
| the White House today.
| President Roosevelt spent the latter
part OF the evening quietly at the White
House after an outing of some
hours along the shores OF the Potomac
river and in the country beyond on the
Virginia side. He received no callers