The Irish standard., 1905-08-26
PEACE Or WAR?

+; 1t is more than probable that the
friends of Japan are disappointed over
; the turn affairs have taken at Ports
mouth. The enthusiasm with which
Japanese victories were received in
many countries has been somewhat
dampened by the demands which the
Japanese Empire now makes in the
peace negotiations. We have been in
formed from time to time during the
progress of the war that the Japanese
were an intelligent, humane and with
all most magnanimous people. We
are now confronted with Japan victor
ious and with the enemy conceding to
it all that was contended for at the
commencement Of the war: practical
control of Korea, the withdrawal of
the Russians from Manchuria, the
possession Of Port Arthur and the
peninsula upon which it is situated,
the destruction Of the Russian power
in the Far East; and yet Japan in
sists upon more. Simmered down the
deadlock in the peace negotiations
amounts to just this: Japan wants
blood money.
If peace is not made and the war is
continued Japan and it's friends will
have to admit that from now on it is
war for money. If peace is not made
it will be because Japan prefers Rus
sian gold to the lives of Japanese
soldiers. No refinement of reasoning
can escape that conclusion. Russia is
prepared to make every concession
necessary to conclude peace except
that she will not pay tribute as long
as she has the power to continue the
fight.
No matter what the Oriental idea
may be no European nation has ever
paid an indemnity unless its forces
were utterly crushed. Russia Is a de.
feated nation, but long way from a
conquered one There is six thousand
miles of barren county between
mountains. How many years would 1t
take Japan to place an army at the
gates of st. Petersburg?
The Franco-Prussian war ended
with France paying large indemnity
to Germany, but at that time the Ger
man soldiers were at the gates of
Paris. The capitol of the French ma
ton was in the possession of the Ger
mans. France was conquered. No
such condition presents itself today
AS Witte has truly said Russia can
fight on for years. There are few in
deed whose opinion is of any value
who would assert that it was possible
for Japan to take St. Petersburg or
Moscow. A nation cannot be said to
be conquered until Its great cities and
home ports are in danger. This war,
as far as Russia is concerned, has
been colonial war. 1t has affected
the people of Russia very little. AS
Witte says, there are thousands Of
Russians who do not know that the
war is in progress. If these people
were called upon to pay taxes to meet
an indemnity they would naturally
ask, ''Why should we pay the indem.
nity?" If Russia is to maintain its
self-respect it cannot afford to pay in
demnity so long as there Is a fighting
force left. 1t cannot be emphasized
too strongly that Japan has not con-
quered Russia. Japan has already
gained everything for which she went
to war and other things which she did
not claim. 1t must be evident, there.
fore, that any further demands are
the outgrowth of greed.
The conquering hosts of Japan
should be given to understand that
modern civilization does not counten-
| ance war as means of eXacting trib.
ute. War is only justified in these
days as means of obtaining or main.
tanning Justice. There was time