The semi-weekly messenger., 1905-08-29
so BASIS roa rEAcE TREATY
Statement OF the Russian Position Re-
sarsiins the Latest Stage OF tho Ne
sotiaticnS-Ncv japanese Odcr II
i'm All Essentials Identical With the
Proposal Already Rejected.

Portsmouth. n. f.. August 23.-Ths
following authoritative statement has
been made to the Associated Press ex.
planning the Russian position with re.
gard 10 the latest stage Of the peace
negotiations.
Statements have appeared in prom.
inent American and English papers
which. while eloquent, studiously mod
crate. and well intentioned. are an-
happily calculated to mislead the world
as to the prospects of peace and the
general character of Japan's so-cas;ed
new proposal. With which il is con-
tended Russia can close without loss OF
dignity. It Is quite true. as those pa
pers predicted. that the envoys Of ia
pan came forward at today's sitting
with proposal which was in new form
but old in substance II Is equally ;rue
that the proposal lacks the two con-
tentious clauses stipulating that Rus
sia saail surrender 10 japan her dis
armed warships and limit her naval
power on the Pacific, and that il re-
duces the differences between the two
powers to the compass of what Is IN
appearance a single question, the sale
of Sakhalin Seemingly, therefore. ia
pan has also struck her pen through
the most obnoxious clause of all-thas
which deals with indemnity. and all
that she now asks Russia to do, in at
dition To the terms already agreed
upon, is to purchase the northern half
of Sakhalin for sum Of one milliard
and two hundred million yen G,120,-
00o,000). And this alleged simplifica-
ton of terms is supposed to provide
Russia with an acceptable basis for a
peace treaty.
AT first sight the offer may perhaps
seem new to some, but closer examf
nation will show it TO be in all essen
tials identical with the proposal al
ready rejected by Russia's plenipoten-
tiaries. Only person unfamiliar With
war, in love with humanitarianism
foreign to Russia and incompetent to
judge of Russlas national ohnor and
dignity, could descry in those terms the
source Of new impulse given to the
peace negotiations.
''The elimination of the-two clauses
stipulating that Russia's disarmed var
ships be handed over to Japan, and her
naval strength on the Pacific be re-
tricted, brings no new element into
the transaction. For the withdrawal
of those claims. which were obviously
put forward with the intention of be-
ing waived in the course of negotia-
tions, is devoid of Importance. The dis
armed ships in question are Russia's sy
right, and to ask that they be handed
over to Japan is to demand breach of
the laws of nations. Again the lim1ta-
ton of Russia's naval effectiveness on
the Pacific is meaningless, because she
will be unable for quarter or 1t may
be half a century to dispose of war
ships enough to keep squadron there
equal to Japan's, while it would be
fruitIess to maintain a smaller one
Consequently, to speak of these things
as concessions is but to play with
words. 1t is equally childish to affirm
that Japan foregoes her claim for an
indemnity because the new proposal!
does not actually mention it. All that
she does is to join the question OF SAX
halin with that of cash payment, and
to insist upon war costs under the
name of purchase money.
'The transaction is fictitious and the
terminology misleading. If what is
proposed be in truth a purchase and
sale it 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 con-
cessions already made. Again, If a
purely business transaction were III
deed intended, the value Of the terri
tory offered would be the basis on
which the two parties would treat. But
now even this essential is not Observ-
ed. The price demanded for the north
ern half of the island is 100000, 900
ven. which is the original estimate OF
the war costs Possibly 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 cannot consent to pay a
war indemnity by whatsoever name 1t
may be called, nor can she, nor indeed,
the world at large, regard Japan's pro
posaIs as a proof of genuine desire for
peace.
eff the efforts of American friends
are to be crowned with success, IL the
labors of the conference are not TO end
in smoke. and II the effusion Of blood
in the Far East is to be terminated, 1t
behooves japan to make frank dec
laration that she withdraws once for
all and without reserve her demand TO
have her war costs paid in any shape or
form Therefore, despite the positive
and emphatic declaration OF the well
meaning, but mistaken journalists al
luded to above, peace is not and canno.
be assured until Japan unreserved;y
withdraws her claim in having the
costs Of the campaign refunded by RUS
sia."
When shown the above statement, a
competent Japanese authority declined
to make any reply
I'VE are not talking" he said. We
are not fighting this battle In the news
papers. When all is over We will give
o,,r cid. - he story fn fha w0rf6 ~