Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-24

deal of gossip, but the subject Of the inter-
views was not disclosed to anyone. There
is reason to believe that the emperor did
not consult any of his ministers or mem
usual advisers, until a final decision had
been reached. He exercised his autocratic
power until 1t became necessary to call In
his ministers to arrange the details
Peace Urged by the Kaiser.
1t is also an interesting secret that Mr..
Meyer was warmly supported in the nego-
tiations by the German kaiser, who had
been, informed of what was going on by
Baron Speck Won Sternburg. his ambassa-
/, dor at Washington, and advised his cousin.
the car, to accept President Roosevelt
suggestions. It is known that frequent tele-
grams were exchanged between Potsdam
and Tsarskoe-Selo in private cipher OFTEN
used by the two emperors. which Is not
known even to their ministers. In support
of President Roosevelts proposals the
kaiser advised the czar that the war had
gone far enough. that it was time to quit
and that he could get better terms then
than later.
1t took only one interview of an hour
length to convince the car or the force or
that view of the case, although he felt
that his army ought to have another
chance, and as soon as his decision be-
came known the minister of war and all the
rest of the army officers at ST. Petersburg
the grand dukes and the court generally
endeayored to persuade him to change it,
but he showed a firmness of character and
stability of purpose that is not credited to
him by popular opinion. You invariably
hear people lament that Nicholas II Is so
unstable of purpose: that he is so suseep-
tible to the influence of people with whom
he has contact, and most of the misfor-
tunes of Russia are attributed to his vacii-
lation and his tendency to yield to bad adj
-visers But in this, perhaps the most Inn
portant single event that has occurred dur
Ing his reign thus far, the emperor was d.
rect positive and as firm as any one could
be. notwithstanding appeals and remon-
stranees from almost everybody that he is
accustomed to consult. he accepted Presi-
dent Roosevelts suggestions and appointed
commissioners to meet the Japanese at
Washington, the place originally suggested
for the conference. As the date was de-
ferred until the hot weather. Portsmouth
was selected for the comfort Of the pleni-
potentiaries
continued without interruption, and article
after article of treaty OF peace was
agreed to by both sides until the surrender
OF territory and the payment of an In
Then deadlock occurred. The Russians
refused to consider either proposition.
Averted the Deadlock.
The President stepped in again and Mr..
Meyer resumed his visits to the czar-only
this time he was received in cozy library
In a, little villa In the great forest park
Of Peterhof. where his majesty lives quietly
during the summer months like country
gentleman. with his wife and children.
From the beginning he was Arm in his re-
fusal to relinquish territory or pay any
money to Japan. He had already publicly
announced to the people that not foot Of
Russian soil would be surrendered or
rubie OF money paid as q price OF peace.
but MIR. Meyer convinced him that Port Ar
thur was pot Russian soil. because 1t had
been secured by treaty from China: and
that the southern half of the Island Of Sag
halien had besn secured from Japan in pre-
cfsely the same manner about thirty or
forty years ago. Both places were in the
Same category. The difference OF time that
they had been under Russian Jurisdiction
was not q matter OF Importance. His mai
esty finally admitted that the principle was
the same. To cede back to Japan the
southern half of the Island which the NIL
be perfectly consistent. and the czar adj
nitted that II was difffeuit to see how the
Russians could recover 1t. The Japanese
they were OF Port Arthur. the Russian feet
mad been destroyed and the army had been
driven out Of Manchuria. There was
very little choice about the matter. but 1t
took two hours discussion to convince
the car that 1t would not Disgrace
his dynasty or humiliate his empire to al
low the Japanese to remain in possession
they would evacuate the northern half.
He was equally firm on the question of
indemnity. but when President Roosevelt
suggested that II would be perfectly proper
and Just for Russia to reimburse the Japan
ese government for the expense of caring
for Russian prisoners until they could be
sent home his majesty agreed to do SO on
q very liberal basis. provided the payment
was not to be considered indemnity or for
an amount suficient to be construed as
such. This solution Of perpiexing prob
lem was satisfactory to the Emperor Of
Japan, with whom President Roosevelt had
been in constant communication through
Baron Kanel<o. the Japanese financial agent
in the United States
And that was the way peace was secured