New-York tribune., 1905-02-23
RUMoRED TERMS OF PEACE.

It is not difficult to believe that the Car is, as
dispatches say, inclined toward making peace
and that he and his government are actually
considering the terms upon which it is to be
made There is no concealing the fact that the
Russian campaign of the first year OF the war,
on both sea and land, was disastrous. Nor is 1t
possible for even the most optimistic to look for
any retreyal during the second year. In fact'
every indication threatens a revival of Russian
disasters as soon as action is resumed. The
troubles in European Russia have for month
past stopped all forwarding OF reinforce
ments TO Kuropatkin. The Siberian railroad is
breaking down under the strain of too heavy
traffic. and is now scarcely able to carry to the
Eastern army its necessary food supplies. On
every hand the situation is desperate. Unwel-
come as it may be- there seems nothing remain
ing to be done but TO sue for peace.
The rumored terms of peace, however, are not
all TO be so readily believed. One of them, at
least staggers credence. 1t may be true that
it is seriously being considered. If so, Russas
case is more desperate than we have imagined.
That Corea shall be put under Japanese suZe-
rainty is reasonable proposition; and that Port
Arthur and the whole Regents Sword peninsula
shall be given TO Japan is nothing more than
that the wrong inflicted upon Japan ten years
ago by Russia, backed by Germany and France,
shall be undone and the original treaty of peace
between China and Japan shall be restored to
force. That Manchuria as far north as Harbin
shall be given back to China is only a fulfilment
of Russia's own often made but never fulfilled
promises. That the Eastern Chinese Railroad
shall be neutraliZed and placed under interna-
tional control is something hitherto suggested
by Japanese statesmen as a means of giving
Russia access TO the open sea without despoiI-
ing China. All these conditions of peace, we re-
peat. are credible and plausible
But the remaining one is astounding. 1t is
that NladivOstOk shall be declared a neutral port
ted TO doubt not only that Russia is seriously
considering that, but even that Japan has pro-
posed or would propose it, Bear in mind that
Vladivostok has been in Russia's unchalIenged
possession for nearly half century 1t is her
only important Pacific port. To deprive her of
II would be to shut her in from the ocean of
which she claimed. century ago a monopoly
10 require the dismantlement Of the VIadivostok
iortresseS would be a severe measure To re-
quIre the naturalization of the place practically
! taxing II away from Russia and putting it under
some sort or international control would he
much like The taking of Alsace-L Lorraine from
France in 1871, excepting that there would not
be actual transfer TO the victor II NAV he that
Japan asks that 1t may be that Russia is So
Frustrated that she must yield TO the demand
or at any rate cannot instantly reject If as inod.
missibe. But must beg leave to douht II
until the amazing report is more fully confirmed
That movement for peace is in progress is
however, inherently possible and, we are in
clined to think, probable Certainly it is to be