Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-08-24

imagined that the plen1pOtentlaFleS VI
the car, the representatives OF the
Russian nation, would take the musk
for the kernel; the shadow for the sub
stance A person of average intelll-
gence can see that what is new in TINS
proposal is the phraseology in which ~
IS couched.
Nothing Conceded.
"The elimination of the two clauses
stipulating that Russia's disarmed
warships be handed over to Japan ana
her naval strength on the Pacific be
restricted brings no new element into
the transaction. For the withdrawal or
these claims which were obviously put
forward with the intention Of being
waived in the course Of negotiations
is devoid of Importance. The disarm-
ed ships in question are Russia's by
right and to ask that they be handed
over to Japan is to demand a breach
of the law of nations Again the limi-
tation of Russia's naval strength on the
Pacific is meaningless because she will
be unable for quarter, or 1t may be'
half century to secure warshlps
enough to keep a squadron there equal
to ,Japans, while it would be fruitless
to maintain a smaller one. Conse-
uuently to speak of those things as
concessions is but to play with words.
'.It Is equally childish to affirm that
japan foregoes her claim for an indem-
nity because the new proposal does not
actually mention 1t. All that she does
is to insist upon war costs under the
name of purchase money. The trans
action is fictitious and the Technology
misleading. If what is proposed be IN
truth a purchase and sale 1t should be
treated as such, and therefore should
Russia decline to buy the territory
Japan should keep it and conclude
peace on the basis of the concessions
already made.
again, If a purely business transac-
ton were indeed intended, the value OF
the territory offered would be the bas-
is on which the two parties would
treat. But here even this essential
condition is not observed The price de-
manded for the northern half OF the
island is 1900, 100000 yen, which Is the
original estimate of the war costs. POS
sibly Japan may have fixed that sum
with the intention of whiting it down
to some extent later on, but Russia
mindful Of her national honor, OF her
military strength, and of her historic
traditions, will not and can not con-
sent to pay war indemnity by what
ever name 1t may be called, nor can
she. nor indeed the world at large, re-
gard Japan's proposal as a proof OF
genuine desire for peace.
Japan having obtained all that she
needed and longed for as nation, now
narrows down the issue to question
of dollars and cents, yet refuses for
peace sake to waive her demands. Rus
sia, on the contrary, has conceded free
ly and fully everything she could give
conscientiously with her sense OF ma
tional honor and dignity.
Money Versus Honor.
Hence. what to Japan is but mat
ter Of money is to Russia a point OIL
honor. To withdraw the cash claim Is
therefore immeasurably easier to Jap
an that it would be for Russia to al
low it, Russia has suffered reverses
owing to her own lack of organization,
her unpreparedness and her internal
disorders, but she is still a mighty and
unconquered nation, whose people will
enthusiastically uphold their represen-
tatives in their firm resolve to keep
the national escutcheon Immaculate.
Whatever else may be affirmed or de-
MED of them, that is true. They alone
are the judges of what can and can
not be done in Russia's name.
"If, therefore, the efforts Of Ameri-
can friends are to be crowned with
success, If the labors of the conference
are to end In smoke, and IL the effusion
of blood in the far east is to be termin-
ated, it behooves Japan to make a
frank declaration that she withdraws
once for all and without reserve her
demand to have her war costs paid in
any shape or form. Therefore de-
spite the positive and emphatic dec
laration of the well meaning but mis-
taken journalists alluded to above,
peace is not and can not be assured
until Japan unreservedly withdraws
her claim to have the costs Of the cam
paign refunded by Russia"
When shown the above statement a
competent Japanese authority declined
to make any reply. eve are not talk
ing" said he. We are not fighting
this battle in the newspapers. When all
is over we will give our side of the
story to the world"