Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-31
THE COST OF LOSING
Money Paid byNations Beaten
in War.
JAPAN'S PEACE TERMS
INTEREST IN THE COMING PORTS
MOUTH CONFERENCE.
Indemnities on Which There Has Been
Default-Wonderful Recovery
of the French.
JAPAN'S PEACE TERMS

y Oe1aulC-W OnQeTIul pSCONcIy
of the French.
"When history is made right under our
eyes" said an international lawer of promi-
hence today, we are not apt to pay much
attention to II. We know that there is
something going on. but that Is about ALL
We are too near to make clear distinctions
to judge rightly. For the last two years
war has been going on in The east and
our sympathies have been so universally
with the japanese that We seem to have
almost forgotten that there is also a Rus
sian side and that the Russian empire has
not yet been quite conquered. What kind
of peace those two nations going
to make nobody can tell and all that is said
of 1t is merely guesswork We do
know, however. that our President has ably
arranged for the all-star performance, soon
to be given at Portsmouth He has got the
company together and will look after their
comfort during he performance. He has given
them suitable place to meet and has wish
ed them the best success with their work.
We also know that Mr. Witte is not entirely
averse TO talking for the newspapers, and
that Mr.. komura does not mind having his
picture taken. But here our actual knowI-
edge ends and our children will be able to
form better opinion about the Portsmouth
; peace conference than their fathers who
read OF the progress of negotiations in the
daily papers The only thing we can do is
TO produce learned books on international
law and on the history of peace conferences
and to see what nations have done before
our times when they settled their different
wars.
Japan's Probable Demands.
The Russo-Japanese war Is a very ne
culiar war, for the two nations are prac-
ucally fighting in and about territory which
belongs TO neither of them Nor has any
racial hatred been the cause of the fight
Ing. If we go to the bottom of the cues
ton we merely find that both Japan and
Russia wanted the same part of China, and
the war Is going to decide who shall be
master in Korea and Manchuria; for China
is far too weak to oppose either of the
beliigerents. So we find this rather strange
situation that the peace conference will
have to decide about neutral territory
The question. however, of greatest i'm
portance Is whether Japan will ask an
idemnity. Many articles have been written
about previous indemnities paid by con-
quered nations, but let not forget that
Russia Is not quite conquered in the same
way France was conquered in 1871. The
war has not affected the real Russia In
tie least, and Japan will recognize that
Tor many years to come Russia will be
able to keep up the fighting. Therefore,
Japan Will probably not insist upon a large
indemnity and will at least be more modest
than Germany in 1871, which by asking
the exorbitant sum of 5000, 600, 600 accen-
tuated the deep hatred France still feels
against Germany.
The paying OF an indemnity is COM
paratively a new thing Before the Ma
poleonic wars nations seldom fought but
for the sake of conquest. The winning
party took whatever IT wanted in territory
or in certain rights, but did not insist upon
an indemnity.
During the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries the map of Europe changed
frequently, but the amount of money paid
indemnities was very small. Napoleon
conquered a large part OF Europe, invented
all kinds of wonderful Kingdoms, and pro-
vided kings by recruiting them from his
own dear family. But that was the worst
which befel these countries, and besides
clothing and feeding NapoIeon's soldiers
and going without English goods the con-
quered countries did not suffer otherwise
financially. Nowadays as nations do not
go to war TO conquer territories they have
to be repaid in some other way, and as a
rule the victors ask for full payment for
their expenses.
Beaten Nation Slow in Paying
1.-The older way. however, was the safer
one for in many modern instances the con-
oueror does not get his money 1t is ex-
tremely hard. you know, to get money out
Of bankrupt state. In 1877 when Russia
had beaten Turkey. she asked an indemnity
of S160 900 600 the exact amount of the cost
of the war. Today, In the year 1908. Russia
has not yet received half of that sum. In
1896 when Turkey nearly conquered Greece
she began by asking $50 100000. But King
Georges family kindly interposed and the
amount was reduced to $1,000, 600, but half
OF that sum has not been paid to date.
In 1856, when Prussia, to the great as
tOnishment OF most of the interested spec
tators, beat Austria and her five allies she
not only asked for the amount of money the
war had cost her. but asked also for few
extra millions to punish Austria for the
trouble she had given her. Although the
war lasted only two months. Austria had to
pay $50, 500. 600.
"Indemnities have been paid in smaller
wars in Asia. China has had TO paw on
many occasions, and does not seem to be
any poorer for II. But the one enormous
idemnity which Is far ahead of any other
ever demanded was the one France had to
pay to Germany in 1871. And the wonder
that France, exhausted by a warfare
almost entirely on her own territory, was
able pay the milliard francs in a few
years. The indemnity was much more than
the actually cost the Germans but let
us not forget that Germany had to settle
an old score. Napoleon probably had cost
them just as much. great amount OF the
French indemnity has not been used yet,
and the purpose for which Bismarck used
II principally to develop the secret
service Of the German empire.
We Will probably know Japan's demands
in a few weeks. II she asks only for what
the present war has cost her Russia will
have 10 pay about $500. 100000. Japan is
very much in the same position. however,
as the young German empire in 1871, and
large amount OF money will come in
tremely handy Only Russia Is not quite in
the same sad state France was after her
struggle. and II Is questionable whether ia
pan will venture to lose her present advan-
tage by making excessive demands and pro-
longing the war. which Will get the more
dangerous the farther the contestants pro-
coed into the Asiatic continent"