The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1905-06-08
ROOSEVELT TO CASSlNI.
President Has Conference With Rus
sian Ambassador and Urges That
War Be Stopped at Once.

War Be Stopped at Once.
President Roosevelt has made q
decided move for peace in the Far
East. In a conference at the white
house Friday afternoon with Count
Cassini, the Russian ambassador, the
president expressed the earnest hope
that Russia would forthwith conclude
peace with Japan. Prolongation OF the
war, he believes, will not result In
victory for the Russian arms, and can
only serve to increase Japan's de-
mands, and render more difficult the,
drafting OF a treaty Of peace which
the czar, as well as the mikado, can
sign. The president spoke, he said,
as the friend Of Russia no less than OF
Japan, and on behalf. not only Of tho
washington government, but in the
interest Of humanity.
The president informed the ambas.
sador that in expressing hope for an
early peace he voiced not only hts
strongly personal sentiments and those
Of his government but he believed
these were held by all Of the powers.
His opinion was that It would be q,
mistake for Russia to continue the
war. In addition to the suffering en-
tailed by the naval conflict he did not
believe that Russia has anything to
win in prolonging hostilities. The
president did not enter into details,
but the personal character Of the con-
versation and his long acquaintance
with Count Cassini enabled him to
talk plainly regarding the decisive
character Of the Japanese victories.
What Japan's probable peace terms
will be-, the president was wholly un-
able to say, but he did not hesitate to
express the opinion that difficult az
these conditions might prove in the
light Of such victory as that gained
In the Korean straits, they would In,
crease in severity with every day that
a state OF war continued.
Having received no word from his
government since the annih;lation OF
Rojestvensky's feet, save to the briet
Official dispatches telling Of the en-
gagement, Count Cassini was unable
to do more than to give the presi.
dent his own personal opinions on
the situation. The ambassador was
deeply touched by the sincere cordial
tty of his reception and the frank and
friendly manner in which the prest:
dent spoke. He could not see, how.
ever, that there was anything In the.
present situation, unfortunate as It
undoubtedly was for his government,
which necessitsted Russia's suing for
peace. .
It was The ambassadors frtn opin
ion that this was not the psycholoc
ical moment in which to discuss peace
with Japan, whatever might be the.
ultimate decision Of his government.
He took the ground that Russia could
lose nothing either by waiting or DI
continuing the war on land. !.
There was hope yet Of q victory for
the Russian arms, It was suggested.
and, in any event, Russia had not yet
lost ono foot Of territory, nor was
the Russian frontier endangered. g
The ambassador pointed out that
there was not the slightest ohicial In.
timation from any source as to ia
pans probable terms and that those
demands as stated unomcially were
"altogether impossible" II Iapans
terms should prove anything Ike Sc
we're as they have been reported, It
was the ambassadors opinion that
Russia could advantageously continue,
the war indefinitely, and eventually
win a victory on land. That his gov.
ernment would 80 decide he did not
wish to predict, but, at last accounts.
the emperor was for q continuation
Of the war.
Count Cassini will transmit an &C.
count OF the conference to the czar.
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