The San Francisco call., 1905-08-21
RUSSIA HOPES FOR VICTORY.
Would Welcome a ProlOngatiOn of the
Far Eastern War.

PORTSMOUTH, n. H, Aug. 2o.-Bry-
ant Chaninoff, correspondent of the St
Petersburg Slovo. who is in close
touch with the members Of the Rus
sian mission, made the following sig
nificant statement tonight:
Now that We are on the eve Of the decisive
day when We are to see whether higher civil
ization. welded to peace. is TO come out
victorious or viii admit itself incapable Of
finding just solution of the problem az
back again TO the arbltrament of the sword,
I an more than ever content that 1 do not
simple Russian citizen that Russia wishes
peace very sincerely, very frankly, and that
desire for peace by her course az this confer
ence- She has yielded on eight points. She
kas abandoned her dream of an open port in
the Pacific, She has agreed TO retire from
the country where she has spent millions IN The
cause OF civilization
All this she has done, not because she fears
e continuation Of the war; on The contrary, let
ters I have received from Russia are unani-
nous IN saying that the whole country has re-
newed confidence in its reorganized army; that
the army is thirsting for battle and dreams
only Of revenge; that General Lineviteh, the
that the authorities will agree in saying that
never before has the moral and physical
strength of the troops been better
We know that LinevitCh is not only an or
ganizer. like Kuropstkin, but that he possesses
that particular military Intuition. that talent
Tor spontaneously seizing an opportunity, WkicH
alone can give victory against an adversary
as formidable as the japanese. The numbsr Of
Russian troops at least equals those Of Japan
and they are no longer Siberian recruits
1 know that. in the eyes Of all foreigners, all
these arguments are not convincing The events
OF the past influence their judgment TO the
future. but 10 Russians. who arc in touch with
the military situation. il is certain that rup-
ture Of the negotiations lis deemed desirable,
because they believe that the turn OF the
tide is at hand. Certainly. with a battle along
q front OF sixty miles. no one can foresee what
may happen-any little accident, the sun or
the dust in the eyes of the men. order bad
y expressed or badly understood, q slephone
wire cut anything may in an instant entiie.y
change the situation One cannot be aston
ished therefore. if the Russians. when they
are told. You have lost; pay reply, FIJI
teen times in succession have backed the
red and it has come black. We now have
the advantage Of the chance We Will continue
70 back the RED until We win.
The player has the right TO his revenge. The
world cannot be angry when Russia. after hav-
ing yielded. perhaps more than she ought.
now says II my adversary does not under
stand that 1 have yielded unwillingly only be-
cause i have always believed in the peaceful
solution OF conflicts, 1 viii prove to him that.
once wounded. I become obstinate and
pursue the game Until my adversary is COM
pletely exhausted -
Personally. as an anti militarist and a be-
lever in peace, I find. that it would be In
entire conformity 70 the dignity OF Russia to
submit the questions in dispute 10 The Hague
tribunal and thus increase the spiendor of that
institution. But I know also that such an
idea has not yet taken deep enough root. One,
then. cannot feel resentment against the Rus
peace has been Interpreted s a sign of weak
ness and too much IS demanded Of them, they
replace their destinies in the hands OF their
generals.