The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-06-03
PRES. ROOSEVELf URGES
 RUSSIA ID MAKE PEACE
LONG CONFERENCE WITH COUNT CASSINI AT WHITE
 HOUSE.

Expresses Earnest Hope That Czar Will
 End War at Early MOment-Believes
 All the Powers Hold Same Sentiment
 Nothing to be Gained by PrOIonga-
 tion of Hostilities - Ambassador
 Thinks This in Not the Time to Dis
 cuss Peace.
 Washington, June 1.-The president to-day struck blow for peace in the Far East. In conference at the White house this afternoon with Count Cas- sini the Russian ambassador the presi- dent 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 demands and render more difficult the drafting of 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 the Washington govern ment, but in the interest of humanity. Until his words have reached Tsarskoe- Selo. and have been communicated to Emperor Nicholas in the friendly spirit in which they were uttered, their effect cannot be estimated, ,
 Soon after reaching his embassy Count Cassini began the preparation of 9 dispatch to his government. Neither at the White house nor at the Russian embassy could formal statement re- garding the conference be obtained. Throughout the diplomatic corps there is strong hope that to-day's confer ence marked the first step toward peace, but the general opinion is that weeks may elapse before even prelimi- nary negotiations can be begun. Diplo- mats express the hope that Emperor Nicholas will receive the presidents words "as the council of that govern nent which for years has been Russia's traditional friend and will weigh it ac- cordingly.''
 Unaccompanied, Count Cassini, the Russian ambassador, called by appoint ment at the White house this afternoon at 2:30 o'clock. He was ushered at once into the blue room, where he was Joined immediately by the president and a conference followed lasting until after 3 o'clock.
 Approaching the natural feelings of the ambassador on such an occasion, the president began the conversation by frank personal expression of sympa- thy for Count Cassini, alluding to the severe strain under which he has been for the past few days and deploring the terrible loss of life and consequent sor- row caused by the recent battle in. the Sea of Japan. .
 Without further preliminaries a gen eral and entirely informal and personal conversation upon the whole situation followed. The president informed the ambassador that he earnestly hoped for an early peace in the Far East, and that in expressing this hope he voiced not only his strong personal sentiments and those of his government, but he be- lieYed these were held by all of the powers. His opinion was that it would be a 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 per- sonal character of the conversation and his long acquaintance with Count Cas- sini enabled him to talk plainly regard ing the decisive character of the Japan csc victories.
 What Japan's probable peace terms would be the president was wholly un- able to say, but he did not hesitate to ' express the opinion that, difficult as these conditions might prove in the light of such a victory as that gained in the Korean straits, they would increase in severity with every day that a state of war continued. Unless Russia a2s substantial hope of administering a de- cisive defeat to Japan in this war, the president believed it would inure to the interests of the St. Petersburg govern ment to conclude peace at once.
 Briefly and in a paraphrased form, these were the arguments used by the president in support of his conviction that, as between a continuation of the war and immediate peace, the latter would be greatly to Russia's advantage. Having received no word from his government since the annihilation of HftOJeSLVGllShy 5 -uGGI SdNG Lu6 UIleL Ulll~ cial dispatches telling of the engage ment, Count Cassini was unable to do more than to give the president his own personal opinion on the situation. The ambassador was deeply touched by the sincere cordiality of his reception and the frank and friendly manner in which the president spoke. He could not see, however, that there was anything in the present situation, unfortunate as it undoubtedly was, for his government which necessitated Russia's suing for sp peace. As for territory, he pointed out that China, and not Russia, had been the loser, for even Port Arthur was held only under lease On the sea Rus- sia had nothing more to lose, he said.
 It was the ambassadors firm opinion that this was not "the psychological moment in which to discuss peace with Japan. Whatever might be the ulti- mate decision of his government, he took the ground that Russia could lose nothing either by waiting or by contin- uing the war on land. There was hope vet of victory for the Russian arms, and, in any event, Russia had not yet lost one foot of territory, nor was the Russian frontier endangered.
 The ambassador pointed out that there was not the slightest official in-