The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1905-06-15
PEACE SEEMS ATHAND
RUSSIA AND JAPAN AGREE TO
OPEN NEGOTIATIONS
President Addresses an Identical Note
to Both Powers Gar Casts the Die,
and Says He Will Accept Terms if
Not Humiliating.

Peace negotiations between Russia
and Japan will be instituted as re-
suit of the efforts of President Roose-
welt to end the war. The two nations
will deal directly with each other, to
prevent any attempt at interference
from any European power, and it is
not unlikely that the negotiations will
be conducted in Manchuria between
the truce-stilled armies of Oyama and
Linevitch. Through President Roose-
welt, Russia knows in general way
Of the most important demands Japan
will make and is satisfied with them.
The way that leads to peace has been
cleared and those who are familiar
with all that has been done are conf
dent that no obstacle will arise to
block it.
The conclusion of the Presidents eff
forts to establish working basis on
which the belligerents could discuss
and agree to peace terms was an
nounced at the White House Friday
night by giving out a formal and iden-
teal note which Mr.. Roosevelt sent
to Russia and Japan, urging them for
their own sakes and in the interest Of
the whole civilized world to open di-
rect negotiations for peace"
This note was the final word from
the President in series of exchanges
through which compliance with his re-
quest had been guaranteed.
The Presidents offer to assist in ar
ranging the time and place for the
peace conference is purely formality.
an evidence Of friendship. There is
no idea that either Russia or Japan
will call on him to act in that capacity.
for it Is we'll understood that they are
to deal directly with each other. Japan
has declared from the beginning tnat
wnen the time came to end the war
she would deal with no other power
than Russia and through no other
power. The Car took precisely the
same position when he was approach
ed by Ambassador Meyer and an
nounced that as condition precedent
to any peace negotiations it must be
understood that Japan's terms would
be reasonable and involve no humiba-
ton for Russia and tina the two ma
tons would be left to settle their
quarrel between themselves and on
their own terms.
Text of Presidents Note.
The text of the Presidents note to
the belligerents is as follows:
The President feels that the time has
come when, in the interest of all man.
kind. he must endeavor to see if it is not
possible to bring to an end the terrible
and lamentable conflict now being waged.
With both Russia and Japan the United
States has inherited ties of friendship
and good will. 1t hopes for the pros
perity and welfare of each, and it feels
that the progress of the world is set
back by the war between these two
great nations.
The President accordingly urges the
Russian ard japanese governments, not
only for their own sakes but in the in
terest of the whole civilized world, to
open direct negotiations for peace with
one another
The President suggests that these
peace negotiations be conducted directly
and exclusively between the belligerents;
in other words, that there may be q
meeting of Russian and japanese pleni-
potentiaries or delegates without any in
termediary, in order to see if it is not
possible for these representatives of the
two powers to agree TO terms of peace
The President earnestly asks that the
governments addressed do now agree to
such meeting and is asking the govern
ments likewise to agree.
While the President does not feel that
any intermediary should be called in in
respect to the peace negotiations them
selves, he is entirely willing to do what
he properly can if the two powers con-
cerned feel that his services will be of
aid in arranging the preliminaries as to
the time and place of meeting. But if
even these preliminaries can be arranged
directly between the two powers or in
any other way the President will be
glad, as his sole purpose is to bring about
a meeting which the whole civilized
world will pray may result in peace"