Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-16
CHANGES MANY PLANS
Effect of Selecting This City
for Peace Conference.
DESIRES OF DIPLOMATS
PREPARING TO CLOSELY FOLLOW
THE NEGOTIATIONS.
They Will Arrange to Return to Wash
ington in Time for Meeting Of
the Plenipotentiaries.

1ngtOn lime 1Or MeeC1uR OK
the Plenipotentiaries.
Already the epoch-making meeting to be
held between the plenipotentiaries of Rus
STA and Japan to discuss means of ending
the war, as Russia tentatively expresses it.
has received name. In dispatches to
Europe from the embassies and legations
here II is briefly termed The Washington
conference" The announcement of the Sc
lection of Washington as the scene of the
peace making has caused practically the
entire diplomatic corps to suspend indefi-
nitely Its program for the summer. De-
spite the reteration of both belligerents
that they propose TO negotiate directly with
each other, the European powers are pre-
pairing to follow each step of the negotia-
tions closely and as intellgently as cir
cumstances will permit, and to do this the
European ENJOYS must be on the ground
The informal announcement from the
White House that if, after convening the
conference here, the Observation-Disclosures were
oppressed by the heat, they would proba bly,
adjourn to some watering place in New
England. has aroused the hopes of the en-
voys of the neutral powers that such will
be the decision.
flanS OF D1plomatS.
Among the diplomats whose plans will
probably be disarranged by the coming con-
ference are NJ. Jusserand the French ambas-
sador, who, If he goes to France this month.
as he had planned. must return in time for
the conference; Baron Speck Won Sternburg
who has planned to spend. his leave in Ger
many, and Sir Mortimer Durand, the British
ambassador, who had already closed his en-
bassy here when the preliminary negotia-
tions necessitated his return from Lenox If
the conference does not convene until Sep
tember some of the diplomats will make
brief trips to Europe, mainly for the pur-
pose of getting in touch with the views of
their respective governments.
This will not be the first time the diplo-
matte corps has been kept in Washington in
the summer because of important negotia-
tlons. The preliminary peace negotiations
Immediately after the war with Spain and
the Boxer troubles and subsequent negotia-
tiCns in the summer of 1890 demonstrate ted
TO them the midsummer conditions here.
New Record for Activity.
Diplomatic activity in the past few weeks
has exceeded the record established during
the Venezuelan negotiations in the winter
of 1903, and has recalled vividly the scenes
Immediately following the ending of the
war with Spain. There have been confer
ences at the White House morning after
moon and evening, the subject of peace ne
gotiations naturally taking precedence over
all other official business at the executive
offices Not only has the President sent
frequently for various diplomats interested
directly or indirectly in the question, but a
small circle Of diplomats, including besides
Count Cassini, the Russian ambassador and
Mr.. Takahira, the japanese minister, Baron
Speck Won Sternburg, the German ambas-
sador; Mr.. Jusserand, the French ambassa-
dor; Sir Mortimer Durand the British am
bassador. and Baron Mayor des Planches
the Italian antyA SSadOr have called ar he
White House al all hours of the day and
until II o'clock at night to discuss peace
the President giving great deal of his time
to the question. In this way the White
House is informed daily not only of what
Japan wishes Russia to know and vice
versa, but of the views and suggestions of
European capitals generally.
Under a Great Strain.
Ambassador Cassin! and Minister Taxa
hira have been under a remarkable strain.
Cablegrams reach them at almost all hours
of the day and night and must be de-
ciphered Immediately. Each move here has
TO be put into cipher and sent to their re-
spective governments, and all this must be
done between the incessant calls of diplo-
mats and other callers who have to be seen.
All this has weighed heavily on these two
men. because both are under the care of
physicians and both were some time ago
ordered to leave Washington for a rest and
change.
There is keen interest in the CORPS over
the possibility of a meeting between Count
Cassni and Mr.. Takahira prior to the ar
rival OF the regular plenipotentiaries. AL
though on several occasions since the be-
ginning of the war they have been thrown
together at the White House. or at func-
tions elsewhere in Washington, their only
greeting has been a profound bow with the
exception of an incident on New Year
4ay at the breakfast to the diplomatic corps
e. the residence of Secretary Hay. NJ.
Iakahira but short time before had re-
covered from a severe attack of appendi-
citls. Count Cassini then congra tulated Mr.
Takahira on his recovery. for which the
latter briefly but pleasantly thanked him
and the conversation ended. 1t is believed
that the initial meeting between these en-
voys, in case one is decided upon, will be at
the White House, where the presence of
the President will avail to mitigate en-
barrassment.
Germany Keenly Interested.
Next to the bellgerents themselves Ger
many has shown the keenest interest in the
selection or place for the negotiations
From the outset she has both here and o,
St. Petersburg and Tokyo exerted powerful
influence to get the negotiators to Wash
ington. II was the emperor's he,ie, +h.+
only In Washington would the negotistors
De free from the unsolicited interferapca 90
neutral powers. This same fear OF outside
interference caused Germany to assist the
President at every step in his efYor, "a
bring the belligerents together More than
month ago rumors that several powers
were prepared to act Jointly as neacemat
ers reached the German government and
us suspicious of the motives We're aroused.
with the President acting as the friendly
enamel OF communication Germany took
the ground that China's integrity would
pc assured and that no European power
would obtain commission for its part in
the task of ending the war
CONGRATULATIONS EXTENDED