The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-07-27
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viii DemandIndemnity Approx
imating a Billion.
Sakhalin Island and the Lao
tung Peninsula.
RAILWAY TO HARDIN
And the Return of Manchuria to
China.
Ii Russia Accepts These There
Will Be Peace.

nifty Japan will demand of Russia at
| the peace conference August will
| approximate one billion dollars. Japan
will also demand Sakhalien island, the
Liaotung. peninsula, the railway to
Harbin. the return of Manchuria to
China and japanese predominating
| influence in Korea.
If the Russian plenipotentiaries are
prepared to accept these essentials the
| officials here are confident that the
basis will be laid for negotiations sure
| to lead to the signing of the treaty of
| Washington, bringing peace in the far
| east.
Whether there is to be peace or a
| continuance of the war will be prac-
| tically decided at the first business
meeting of the Washington confer
ence, which will convene at the navy
yard, Portsmouth, N. H, about Aug
| ust s. Baron Komura will on that
occasion communicate to M. Witte
| the essentials of Japan's peace terms
| for further negotiations.
This, it is declared, will not be done
in spirit of defiance; indeed there
are many evidences in the possession
| of the neutral governments that Japan
| is coming to the Washington confer
ence not imbued with desire to hu-
initiate Russia, but only to exact
Tel HIS WHICH Will insure d ldSI10S peace
in the far east and which will in a
| measure compensate Japan for the
financial losses in the present con-
| f1ict.
Would Avoid Delay.
Throughout the preliminary nego-
| tlations, however, Japan has made it
| clear at Washington that it wished
! to avoid unnecessary tedious negotia-
| tions.
1--WE are not going to the conference
to write into the law of nations a new
chapter said q high japanese official
recently. For this reason the Japa-
! nese plenipotentiaries will adopt the
| programme of at once laying on the
conference table those terms, the ac-
ceptance of which, without modifica-
| tion, they are instructed to insist upon
| as basis for further negotiations.
| Although guarding with great care
| the official statement of its terms, Japan
| has not kept from several friendly gov
| terms. Official Washington has been
| enabled to form within certain limits a
| general idea of their character.
1t is known that Japan will demand
an indemnity that will approximately
cover the cost of the war to date. This
was communicated to Russia early in
the preliminary negotiations. The
amount, still a secret, is based upon the
most careful estimates of the cost of
the war and will be accompanied by a
more or less detailed statement show
| ing the method by which the final fig
ures were computed. 1t will not fall far
| short of 1 billion dollars, according to
| advice reaching here from we'll inform
| ed sources. Besides the indemnity, it is
understood Japan's other essentials to
| the continuance of the negotiations are
| the cesSiOn to Japan of Sakhalien, of
| the Liaotung peninsula and of the
railway as far as Harbin, the recogni-
! ton of Japanese predominating inf1u-
| ence in Korea and the return to Man
! churia to China.
Manchuria's Future.
AS for the subjects remaining to be
| discussed a tedious one it is believed,
and one on which Russia will be dispos-
ed to negotiate with the greatest eau
ton, is the programme for the reStora-
ton of Manchuria to Chinese control.
Because of the confusion and general
| disorder likely to enSue in the province
after the withdrawal of the foreign
armies, Japan believes that certain time
will be required in which to restore
| public order and the establishment of a
regular system of Chinese police admin
| istration. During this period Japan will
insist that it remain in control of the
administration of the province at the
! same time giving a definite pledge fin
be in aapoSition to take up the reinS of
! government there and maintain order.
It is believed the policy to be suggested
| by Japan in this matter will not be un-
| like that followed by the Washington
government with reference to Cuba,
troops being withdrawn from the island
as soon as stable government was in
| control of the situation.
| A second subject for the plenipotentia-
ries to settle will be the surrender of
all the Russian ships now interned in
neutral ports. Some of these are in
clined to believe that this demand will
| form one of the Essentials while 9TH
crs claim ground for believing that
Russia may induce Japan to take these
in part payment of the indemnity.
Europe believes Japan will demand
| the naturalization of VladivOStOk. The
| Washington government does not share
| in this belief. Indeed in official circles
here the statement is made without hes
| itation that such demand would not
is known that Russia will not permit
the subject of Vladivostok to come be-
| fore the conference. Rather than sub
NIT to Japans dictatlon on this point
Russia has let it be known that it
would certainly continue the war.
Little progress has been made in the
direction of an arnistice. London has
not seen it's way clear to aid the pres1-
dent in his efforts to this end and Japan
| has in the most determined manner in
dicated its unwillingness to consent to
an armistice until its plenipOtentiarieS
have met the Russians in the confer
ence.
The object of this, it is now explained
| in an authoritative quarter, Is OeCduSe
Japan wishes to be assured that Russia
| is prepared to negotiate in seriousness
for peace before the japanese command
ers yield any of their ground in the field
or give the Russians time to increase
| the forces at the front.
Information has reached here, how
ever that the president has not ceased
his efforts in that direction, and it is
believed that in case Baron Komura
goes to Oyster Bay in advance of his
formal presentation it will be for the
purpose of discussing this phase of the