The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-08-23
HIGH TENSION.
Evidences of Excitement Appar-
emit in Both Camps
Of the Peace PIenipOtentiaries
Assembled at Portsmouth.
OPINIONS ARE VARIED
AS to the Probable Results of
TOday's Conference.
The Russian Smile Does Not
Admit of Interpretation.

Portsmouth. Aug. 2S.-Mr. White and
Baron de Rosen arrived at the navy
yard for the days session at 1925.
Baron Komura and Mr.. Takahira
came five minutes afterwards and the
session was begun at once.
Excessive tension are the words
which should be used to describe the
situation before the session. There were
evidences of excitement in both camps,
as the chiefs and attaches made their
preparations for departure. The sum-
mer guests of the hotel were as agitated
as the foreigners and the crowds ON the
veranda to witness the departure were
much larger than any time since the
conference began.
The Russians got away first, Mr..
WHITE, Baron Rosen, and Mr.. Naboukof,
Mr. Whites secretary. entered their mo-
tor car at O'Clock. They appeared ex-
cessively gay, greeting the crowd as
sembled to see them of with broad
smiles and CHEEKY good mornings,
and the physiognomy reader instantly
translated what they had seen as a GER
tain augury that peace would virtually
be arranged today. To more careful OBJ
servers, however the smiles of the Rus
SLAMS appeared forced and beneath the
gay exterior there was an expression of
anxiety.
Baron Komura, Mr.. Takahira, Mr..
Sato and AIr. Adachi appeared on the
main veranda with faces composed and
fnscrutable as ever. They, too, smiled
in response to the greetings of their
partisaEs. but there was no excessive
manifestation of exuberance.
The popular belief was that toda Y
would decide the issue, but the Asso-
ciated Press had certain warrant for
the statement that such would not be
the case. Were it to go to a complete
showdown of hands, a rupture was
certain, since the long cablegram of
instructions which NJ. White received
from his government last night would
not permit him to accept the cOmprO-
mise which it was understood Japan
was prepared to offer this morning,
as result of the presidents heroic
endeavors to save the conference.
Will Spar for Time.
The rumor telegraphed to the Assoc
ciated Press after midnight was con-
firmed this morning but it requires an
important explanatory statement. The
cab1egram from st. Petersburg was
sent before Mr.. Witte had communi-
Gated to the emperor the contents of
the communication from President
Roosevelt, delivered to him yesterday
at the navy yard. Hence it was not
necessarily to be accepted as the en-
peror's last word and Mr.. Witte. who,
there is reason to believe is personally
WIN the SuS
gested. went to the conference pre-
pared to spar for time"
1t was believed that at the confer
ence of the sitting today an adjourn
ment would be taken over tomorrow
upon some pretext or other, in order
to give Mr.. White an opportunity to
hear further from his government. A
high Russian authority summed up
the situation today with the words:
There is still hope"
Almost to a man the members of the
Russian mission would personally favor
the compromises suggested by the pres
adent. In their opinion it offers an hon
orable road to peace. But they are pow
erless if the emperor and his advisers
stand firm. The Russians realize thai
the turn events have taken will pu
their country in a difficult position If {
rupture comes.
Japan will stand before the world as
not implacable but ready to accept a
compromise on the two main issues. bN
the arrangement to practically yield, in
whole or in part, article (cession OF
6akhalin) while obtaining in substance
If not in form, article remuneration
for the cost of the WARP. Should Russia
refuse this solution which will enable
her to maintain quite correctly that sh
ceded neither territory nor paid wa
tribute, they believe nothing can pre-
vent the worlds verdict from being
against them.