The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-02
GEAR IS NOT YET FOR PEACE.
MILITANT PANTY STILL IN CON-
troll IN RUSSIA.
Struggle Continued In the Belief That
Japan Can lie Bied TO Death-No Hope
Of success in the Present Campaign
--Grand Duke VIadimlr's Control.
Special Gable Despatch 10 THE sun.

Special Cable Ds,paieh 10 THE SUN
LONDON, April An Europe, il one may
believe the newspapers, ia confident that
peace is at hand. There Ia unhappby no
foundation for this confidence save in
Russia's military helplessness. Neither the
Gar nor the Mkado desires peace at the
present juncture, and until they do no peace
is possible.
A situation may arise in the near future
which will change the Cars attitude, It Ia
even pro- able that he viii be forced to seek
terms from his adversary, but the pressure
will not come from Manchuria.
Russia has abaPdoned hope OF SUCCESS in
the Far Eastern campaign. She knows
that VlGdivostok is doomed. She expects
little or nothing from Admiral Rojest-
vensky's fleet. Her present determine
ton, nevertheless, Is to continue the war
in the belief that her adversary can be bled
70 death.
Tho men who really govern Russia are
persuaded that success will be won in the
end by a defensive. waiting policy, with
the war expenses reduced to a minimum.
All information from the Tsarskoe-Selo
circle confirms this version Of the attitude
Of the Emperor and his encourage It is
strengthened also by news from private
sources that large rush orders for war
material have been placed in England and
Germany during the last four days by the
Russian authorities.
The foregoing decision depends, however.
upon the ability Of the authorities to con-
troll the internal crisis Of Russia. The COM
parauve quiet Of the last two or three
weeks has encouraged the bureaucracy 10
believe that the danger Of an insuTTection
Is subsidng and that the country will sub
nit to reduced war burdens for an indefinite
period
This assumption OF the war party, in
the view Of the most competent observers,
Is a fatal mistake 1t is chiefly due TO tho
universal talk OF peace that the present lull
in domestic turmoil has come. So soon as
it is known that the war is TO be prolonged
indefinitely, a national protest will be
forthcoming, which, II resisted, viii sweep
away the dynasty and all other obstacles.
There are those, including the Ministry.
who are still seeking to make the Gar
realize this danger, and they may succeed.
One mans guess on this point is as good
as another's.
Meantime, one positive statement may
be made. No peace negotiations Of any
description have yet begun. and the Car
Ia still determined, or, TO be more precise,
was yesterday determined, to carry on the
war indefinitely.
Telegraphing yesterday via the frontier.
The SUMS So. Petersburg correspondent
gives news Of the greatest portent regard
ing the personal condition Of the Emperor
and the effect thereof upon the control Of
Russian destinies. He says:
The members Of the imperial encourage
ascribe the present osnfusion in all Govern
ment departments 20 the Cars ten weeks
seclusion In his private apartments at
Tsarskoe-Sslo The Ministers and other
ofioial visitors 20 the palace observe that
II IL becoming increasingly difficult for the
Emperor 10 give sustained attention 70
any subject. This has been more marked
since the death Of the Grand Duke Sergius.
Apart from his confinement amid many
anXieties some members OF the court trace
this mental habit In some measure TO the
effects Of an injury TO his head fifteen years
ago from the blow Of fanatic during a
visit 10 Japan.
His disinollnation 10 hold a definite
policy In national Affairs has led 70 the
estTAngement Of the Grand Duke Vladimir.
who has ceased 10 visit Tsarskoe-Selo.
This Is interpreted 10 mean that the Grand
Duke Vladimir and the militant champions
u the autoratic principle have lost some
faith IN the Rutocracy's present representa-
tive. The Official record Of the Council Of
Ministers conference on the Gar s rescript
disoloses the fact, moreover, that all inn
portant proposals how to first consult
the national representatives came from
the Emperors brother-in-law, Alexander
MichAelovitoh. The latter Offered 20 con-
woke the st. Petersburg and provincial
MArshals Of Nobility and ohairmen Of
zemstvos and receive from them prelim-
mary suggestions for the selection Of de-
sirable delegates.
sThe offer was declined. An assumption
Of supreme authority has been made in
other directions with impunity Several
conservative Governors Of provinces de-
eted passages Of the Emperor's rescript
as circulated in their districts When
quest Toned what authority they had for
suppressing the Emperor's word, they re-
piled that they were words that the En-
peroT should not have used.
This growing dissemination Of the
Emperor TO exercise authority and decide
questions Of policy has an important bearing
may have been formulated without his
ofhoial consent, yet with his knowledge.
There IA an entire absence Of reason for
the belief that such a step might result
in serious negotiations.
The Cars entourage are entirely for
war. Alexander Michaelovitoh, beyond
oil the other Grand Dukes, Il the champion
Of Russian expansion in Asia, while M.
PobiedonOstsef, Procurator-General Of
the Holy Synod. and Governor General
Trepoh are implacable antagonists Of
the peaOs policy. The Ministers and other
advisers Of the Emperor who desire peace
cannot hope 10 obtain their object through
the sovereign 40 long as the present mental
attitude continues. Peace must come,
II at all, through pressure upon those who
practically usurp imperial authority
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