The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-30

Tho ENJOYS OF Japan and Russia to the
peace conference arranged by President
Roosevelt arc expected to have their hrst
formal meeting ON the Mayhower at Oyster
by next Saturday. In tho following week
\ Is expected that they will begin At Ports-
mouth, N. H., the discussion Of tho terms
70 end tho war In Manchuria.
At Portsmouth, their deliberations will
b held In the general stores building OF
he navy yard, which by that time will
Tho conference will gather together some
q the most picturesque personalities In the
public lie Of Russia and Japan. Ono Of
these ID Baron Komura.
lARoN KoMuhA 4 roBN8R HARVARD STUDENT
EITHER that japanese young man, Ko-
nura i exceedingly dull and commonplace
mid very keen witted Boston woman while
ths present Japanese Minister Of For
sign Affairs and envoy plenipotentiary to
the coming Portsmouth peace conference
vas . student at Harvard, "either he is very
dull or worry deep. can't quite make out
which,
II he is Is deep as he seems to DO dull
then the world is pretty apt to hear from
him in one way or another before he gets
70 Be an old man.
Baron Komura was not dull, and the
world certainly haA heard from him. In
Japan he 10 regarded Is among the most
sstute diplomats that country. rioh in men
II high intellectual gifts. has ever bad.
A Minister at Pekin, - the pilot Of tn
Japanese o1ft Of State In the troubled
waters Of corss, Immediately after the
sssassination Of tho Corean Queen, -
Nhister to st. Petersburg In critical times
antecedent to the present clash. - ne-
kotiator of the English alliance and general
clearer Of the diplomatic chessboard pre-
paratory to the struggle with Russia which
b. moro clearly than anybody else. long
Nv was inevitable-in all these great tasks
Of high diplomatic strategy the modest.
Seh-enacing little japanese bookworm OF
the Harvard days has developed skill
and masterfu force which have given him
sphoe smong the worlds great diplomats.
II Baron Komura himself could be induced
10 toll tho secret Of his success he would
h all probability attribute 1t all to the
virtue OF plain hard work. He Is OF those
who believe that genius m cans a capacity
Tor hard work.
He was q student Of Emerson when he
vss In Harvard. He still reads, adnires
and often quotes the clean minded, clear
headed New England philosopher.
The simple living and high thinking Of
the New England sort, he recommends to
hs friends as the straight and sure path
through the complex mazes OF lie. He
has himself rigidly adhered to his own
maxim.
When he was in Harvard, the roommate
and close friend Of his now distinguished
oountryman, Baron Kaneko, he was proof
against all attempts to lure him into society.
He was there to study law, and law he did
study with all the energy Of his INTENSE
hxity Of purpose-studie led until his eyes
cave out. When he was told that he must
rest he complied and read Emerson and
Lord Bacon while he was resting.
But little over feet In stature and
elisht and apparently frail in proportion,
Be gave little promise OF future distinction
Or even Of very long life when he left Cam
bridge in 1877 and started for japan by way
Of Europe.
In Europe he remained a year.still keeping
up the simple life and the hard study while
No was there. He went home to japan,
and the world did not open worry brilliantly
TO him at the outset. Extreme modesty
combined with very robust article OF In
erendence was a handicap In the be-
ginning Of his career. He had been Gov
emment student sent out to America. He
NEW he had done his duty; he knew that
ne knew good deal of law. particularly
International law. His intimate friend,
nar"n Kaneko, thon secretary to the
imperial Parliament Of Japan, knew all
ms too, and urged his former Harvard
oaum to push himself forward more to
spply to Marquis Ito or to some other great
power in JaIanese political affairs. ,