The Washington times., 1905-06-05
PEACE TALK FINDS
LITTLE CR[DENCE
AMONG DIPLOMATS
Interpret Cassini's Ac-
tons as Tending to
Obstruct Progress.
ROOSEVELT HALTS GAME
Foreign Powers Looking Far
Beyond End of Present
War-New Alliances.
ROOSEVELT HALTS GAME

Peace taziz, which has centered in
Nashin on In the past week, has led
many people to suppose that the end of
the Russo-J 4panese war Is at hand. and
that President Roosevelt has been
tacitly agreed upon as the mediator Tor
the restoration of peace in Asia. In
the view OF well-informed dipion7atists
who are willing to comment privately
On the real facts underlying all this
discussion. both these suggestions are
Tar from correct.
DipIomatists here are not prone to
discuss freely the actions of their con-
forces but it may be said without fear
of contradiction that they attach sig
nificance TO Count Cassinis willingness
20 make public the details of his con-
ference with the President at the White
House last week.
Cassini's Shrewd Plan.
rhe ambassador, being a stanch sup
porter of the grand ducal party in Rus
sia. has no desire to hasten war ne
gotiations IN the least. and has had no
instructions to do SO. He Is about ter
Ininating his service here. and so has
no personal enthusiasm for initiating
negotiations which would immediately
pass 70 the hands Of another. But,
shrewdness, he would not fail te take
advantage of the opportunity for gath
ering information in any quarter, 10 say
nothing OF gaining it from a source so
well informed as the President OF the
United States.
So far, so good, had the ambassador
said nothing. But in official circles 1t
is thought the Russian envoy relied
bit too much upon his quite extended
knowledge of American inforznaiity, even
as regards great subjects Ina other
words, his acquaintance with shirt
sleeve diplomacy here led him TO take
the chance of trying to fool the Amer
lean people. as well as the diplomatists
of the world. Everyone, knowing the
Presidents s 3rankness. might jump at
the conclusion that information Of the
details of the conference was given out
at the White House. They would think
il was published TO help along the plan
TO make the President the chief peace
mediator.
Roosevelt Punctured Scheme.
Evidently the President was unwili-
ing 10 have any such intimation &c
unchallenged. for he promptly an
nounced that no information had beer
given out from the White house. ma ~
plainly enough. diplomatists think, ina
Count Cassinis unusual willingness u
speak doT punlcIRton I on tar maS an 4be wboI.
peace conference business AS the am
bassador Is far from being novice Il
the devious ways OF diplomacy. II j
readily accepted that some motive o
this sort prompted his unusual pfoce
dure in this instance.
The activity of other dtpIomatlstS o
high station is passed over with IN
mere comment that no enNo! wishes L
be out OF the running when 81 Inn ltI,
III Is
from the highest official sources. Inc
there is the added suggestion that thsr
is something more back OF the eTuslE
annTS1rai of The Roosevelt square deal
policy than desire TO end the war i
the Far East. There IS the lntlfnatlo
that the principal European power
are doing their utmost 10 entangie IN
United States of America IN their oM
international problems, not Tor IN
present reasons alone, but Ter VIVA
they see developing in the future.
British-Jap Alliance.
In settling one war the powers will o
locking ahead 10 the next one. The
wilI want TO be sure ABOUT the "balanc
OF power They want TO know wher
each nation viii stand in the realigr
ment arising out or the coming c
peace. whether that be this month, thi
year, or some other year.
The world was surprised two year
ago 10 learn that on Janaury 80. lS0
England and Japan had entered into a
offensive ard defensive alliance. BY I'll
terms of that treaty, IL either countT
should become involved IN war the OIL
er country contracted to "mainta1
strict neutrality and use its efforts
prevent ether powers from Hotning
The hostilities against Its ally, II al
other power should be drawn IN again
that ally then the "other contra ctr
party Will come TO its assistance al
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lCnntinued on Fifth PaSe.)