Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-25
THE PEACE SITUATION
Exact Status Zealously
Guarded at Cars Court.
SIGNIFICANT ACTION
BELIEVED THAT DEFINITE PLANS
ARE NOW UNDER WAY.
Emperor's Attitude Concerning Pro-
posals to Japan Has Undergone a
Change-Foreign Office Silent.

ST. PETERSBURG, March %, PM
The information contained in these dis
patches for over week regarding the
change in Emperor Nicholas attitude con-
eerning the advisability of making pacific
proposal to Japan is fully confirmed and,
in very high quarters, peace within six
weeks is regarded as certain.
The positiveness with which this is af-
firmed would indicate that the government
is already in possession of information as
to the Japanese terms, which indicate a
basis to which Russia can agree.
The exact situation is shrouded in mys-
terry. The secret of what has been done
and what is being done is zealously guarded.
Pourparlers in Progress.
The Associated Press hears, however,
from a source close to the throne that pour
parlers are actually in progress in Paris,
but possibly only of a preliminary charac-
ter and that Copenhagen may be the scene
OF the first exchanges between representa-
tives of the two powers.
In this connection importance is being at
tached to the visit of NJ. D'Iswolsky Rus
sian minister at Copenhagen, and Baron
Rosen, former Russian minister to Japan,
to M. Bompard, the French ambassador to
Russia, on Tuesday
The parties to this conference refuse to
admit that significance is attached to it. In
the meantime the foreign office is silent.
News Confirmed at Paris.
Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
NEW YORK, March pa cablegram
from Paris says: French newspapers are
booming peace prospects. The Petit Paris
ian quotes St. Petersburg diplomat as
saying that a complete change of opinion
has taken place at the cars palace, and if
France should now offer her good services
they would be accepted. would those of
the United States be rejected
Have Taken Tentative Form.
PARIS, March 25.-It is said in quarters
having excellent means of information that
Russias steps toward peace have already
taken a tentative form at a private con-
ference held within recent days at one of
the small capitals of northern Europe.
The purpose of this appears to have been
to bring together perSonageS representing
both sides, neither having credentials 20
discuss formal terms of peace but to in
formally examine what each side expected,
and what tentative basis seemed possible.
The nature of this exchange does not
warrant it's being considered a definite
peace movement, but it is understood to
have given each side an opportunity 20
judge the view of the other, and it has
clearly shown Russia's disposition toward
peace.
There is reason to believe that both ST.
Petersburg and Tokyo know the results of
this conversation and that it is the basis of
the renewed st. Petersburg reports that
peace is imminent However, the discus
sion does not seem to have resulted in
much progress, as everything awaits Rus
sia's willingness to adopt public and official
steps to secure peace.
In this connection 1t is said that practi-
cally all Europe has lately urged Emperor
Nicholas to make peace, the King of Por-
tugal being the latest to make an appeal
This pressure from Europe, together with
the military and financial reverses, appears
to have influenced Emperor Nicholas to try
to secure some acceptable settlement.
Owing to the growing defniteness of the
peace reports officials and diplomats here
are discussing how st. Petersburg and
Tokyo will be able to treat directly while
the usual channels of communication are
severed.
1t is said this is likely to occur by a meet
ing in a neutral capital similar to the in
formal meeting already held. Mention Is
made of Stockholm and Copenhagen ad-
vantageous points. Such method of di-
rect communication is now considered
more likely than through the medium of
the French minister at Tokyo.
1t is officially asserted that the latter has
not yet been asked to act in any peace ca
pacity.
Discount on the bourse today went up
two per cent in anticipation of heavy de-
mands for money in connection with the
proposed Russian loan.