The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-22

belief. mere opinion odsed on uuio any
knowledge OF the circumstances Of the Case.
and u given here Just for what II 10 worth.
1t may be we'll to say, however. that
among the many here who know the Presi-
dent personally and have some intimate
understanding Of his manner Of carrying
out his purposes. there 10 general oonvio-
ton that he will not permit his latest peace
plan &c Eel! -!.hcu. using eyery means
within his power and ability to bring 1t
to q successful elimination.
THE pRssIpsxfs BAANEsr IMPORTS.
The ENJOYS Of both belligerents. and par
ticularly the Russians. know that Roose-
welt Is terribly In earnest In his effort to
prevent a failure Of the Portsmouth con-
ference. They are impressed by his de-
termination and have Ane respect for
the position which he occupies In the politics
Of the civilized world.
1t is not likely, therefore, that, however
certain 1t may seem that the negotiations
must end disastrously. the suggestion OF
the President Of the United States will be
cast aside without careful and conscientious
consideration. And this is said with due
difference to the understanding that the
Russian ENJOYS have received gloomy
tidings from their Government.
Nobody knows exactly what will happen
tomorrow when the peace ENJOYS meet
Tuesday will not however, witness the close
OF the conference for reasons other than
those pertaining TO. tia .snecc fresttene
Roosevelt's effort to prevent failure will
have in causing the negotiators to think
twice before declaring that their work has
been frnitless. One Of the minor reasons
that will serve to cause the postponement
Of the final adjournment Is that the Russian
copies Of the protocols Of agreements
reached by the ENJOYS will hardly be ready
for comparison with the Japanese drafts.
Even II they are ready. the certainty will
exist that the work Of comparison will
not be completed in the bare three hours
that the conference will be in session, for
the meeting time is 3 o'clock and the en-
voys will not sit beyond 9.
1t was the expectation tonight that when
the conferees assembled the Russians would
ask for an adjournment until Wednesday
to give them a chance to complete their
drafts Of the protocols. There is prospect
also that an adjournment will be taken
until Thursday or Friday. Every days de-
lay means point gained for peace.
ARBITRATION NOT SUGGESTED.
One Of the ENJOYS to-day confirmed
the statement in the Portsmouth dispatches
printed in THE Sun this morning that the
President had made q tender Of good offices
to bring about q peace agreement. The
details OF Mr.. Rooeevelt's suggestion or
offer have not been announced authorita-
lively. In fact 1t may be said that there
has been no authoritative announcement
whatever.
1t was quite natural that some people
should have been Of the opinion that the
President suggested to Baron Rosen that
the differences between the ENJOYS should
be adjusted through arbitration. but to
correct any mistaken impression on this
score Mr. Witte to-day took occasion to
deny that the President had proposed any
such means Of settlement.
When Baron Komura, the head Of the
Japanese peace mission, was asked II he
knew whether the President had made a
proposition looking to an ending Of the war
through arbitration proceedings, he said
nothing. He merely laughed, and laughed
heartily. Nobody ever heard him laugh
before since he came to Portsmouth.