Smyrna times., 1905-01-04

i'll IL m6du peace! Iudb ID tuo
question which the world is most ask
ing about the fall of Port Arthur. The
terms of capitulation, the details of
the siege and storm and all their dread
full cost, the propriety of the Russian
action in destroying forts and ships be-
fore the surrender, all take second
place in serious thought. They are in
teresting enough to those who have a
taste for horrors; but the world has al
ready supped full of horrors and would
now fam turn to the repose of peace.
Doubtless the wish is father to the
thought in the widely current expects.
tions that this capitulatlon will be fol-
lowed by negotiations for an ending of
the war. Those who cherish such ex-
pectstions should not be oversanguine.
But they ought not to be disappointed.
The logical time for peace has come.
Logic, moreover, is reinforced by ne
cessity, or by what seems like it..
True, fighting nations are not always
logical, and what seems to be necessity
may not be that Yet we cannot help
thinking that the demand for peace is
now so strong that it should be listened
to by those who have the issues OF
peace and war within their hands.
It rests, of course, with Russia.
Japan entered the wa- reluctantly, and
has been ready, so the world under.
stands, to make peace at any time.
But it is for Russia to make the over.
ture, and from almost every point oi
view it seems desirable that she should
do so now. Upon the ground of mill
/. Itary necessity she has need of peace
Z All her tremendous efforts and ire.
mendous losses have left her profit.
less, in far worse plight than she was
in at the beginning of the war. FL
nancial considerations are no less ur.
gent. We can imagine under wha
disadvantages she would now have tC
seek a new war loan in the money mar
kets of the world. So far as nationa
honor is concerned, she cannot hope
by further struggles to add to the re
nown which the gallant Stoessel hai
gained at Port Arthur.
The means and grounds of peac,
should not be difficult to find. Th,
United States has more than once anC
IN more than one quarter been sugges
ted as a mediator. Our government i
not seeking to play such part, though
it would probably accept it if reques
ted by both the belligerents, and It
long existent relations and present at
titude toward them both would assur
the fitting performance of the task
But there are other powers too, ths
could perform the onerous but CRATE
full duty. Of that there can be n
doubt. Neither can we doubt ths
equitable terms could be agreed upor
japan would surely not be exorbitar
IN her demands. If her interests i
Corea were securely safeguarded an
Manchuria were freed from menacin
alien possession, we can imagine he
readily asenting to Russia's commei
cial outlet to an open sea on term
which would make that outlet a
open door to all nations and not th
private wicket gate of political aggre,
sion and conquest. If Russia reall
means her often repeated protestatio
that she seeks no territorial conquest
In China, but merely an open passae
TO an open sea and the safeguarding {
her commercial interests, the attain
ment of those ends should be no
within her reach. But it is for Russ
TO make the first move for peace. 81
will doubtless find Japan ready
meet her half way, and she will ce
talnly find the world at large read
and eager to go more than half wav
facilitating in every possible mann,
the ending of a war which has bee
from the beginning a grief to huma,
lty and an offence to civilization.
NeaO York Tribune.