New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-10-15
Anglo-American Memories
Copyright. 1911 Georr. w. sm,u.v,

posing for our readers a guide book to
Russia.
thinking il all over, l resolved to set
forth this view TO Baron Takahira. To
ask TO see Count Komura, the chief jap
ahese Plenipotentiary, was useless. I
mad already asked and had been given to
understand, as others were, that what
ever Count Komura wished TO be known
would be made known by Baron Taxa
MIRA The daily bulletins issued by the
japanese and read aloud to an Corners in
, 'he entrance hall Of the hotel conveyed
no real information. and were meant 10
convey hone. Such conversations as I
had Rad with Baron Takahira were not
much more enlightenlng. l had known
IN times past, often in very critical
umes' certain number Of Ambassadors
and Foreign Minister'S Not one among
them all had been so closely bontonuS
as these Asiatics. The Asiattcs had
adopted, for reasons sufficient to them,
policy Of silence, and from this they
We're resolved not to depart. But
thought the moment had come TO make
final attempt and made It,
Baron Takahira received me- as usual.
with grave politeness which did not
altogether conceal a certain hardness Of
temper or even sense Of embarrass-
ment arising out Of the role he was
obliged TO play. He said at once:
Il am afraid I can tell you little or
nothing beyond what I have said al
ready"
You can never be sure Of surprising a
diplomatlst by the most unexpected
statement. still less can you expect him
TO show that he is surprised But I
meant TO try, and I said:
EXcellency, I come TO you Of course
as journalist, but not wholly as a
journalist nor am l at this moment in
search Of news. l come as a journalist
whom you have known to be, and who
still Is full of good will to Japan. What
want TO cay to you is that l think the
interests Of Japan have been very grave
~ compromised within the last week
and that il is you and your chief who
have compromised them"
For once had succeeded in surprising
this astute Oriental. and for one second
he even showed that he was surprised
Then, with his usual inscrutable seren-
l., he asked me to explain what I
meant l explained as have explained
above; with less directness but not less
plainly. and at far greater length. He
& no. Trl IL,
quoted dispatches. told him what I be-
lieved to be the general opinion Of the
journalists then present in Portsmouth,
and laid before him extracts from edi-
torial articles in important English and
American papers. l thought then. and I
still think. that this mass of evidence
ought 10 have convinced him Of the peril
20 which the Japanese policy was ex-
posing the japanese cause. To my mind
it was conclusive. II proved that
change had been going on in the Amari-
can mind, a change wholly unfa vorable
TO Japan; that this change was due pri-
marily to Count Whites relations with
the American Press, and to the refusal Of
the japanese to make, in their own in
terest. a legitimate use Of the columns
open to them. urged upon him that
though the mischief had gone far IL was
not yet too late to stop it, but soon
would be, and I asked him TO put The
whole case before Count Komura. I did
not expect nor ask Baron Takahira him
self 10 do more than that.
do not think I made any impression
whatever upon him. Now and then he
asked a question but, for the most part.
was content to listen. When l had
finished he replied in a sentence:
Il am much obliged to you. have al
ways known you as friendly to my coun-
try, and l have no doubt you still are.
But our policy in this matter has been
we'll considered"
Then in a fash there came into Baron
Takahira's face look had never seen
there before as if - enc moment he
had forgotten his md in that
one moment the n.- rrogance of a
victorious and overconfdent people
blazed out: He flung his arms wide
apart and high, as if TO dismiss TO the
winds all he had heard from me, and
what sounded like a battle cry came
from his lips
I'VE are japanese. We are japanese.
AS If TO say:
What matters TO us any opinics but
our own
In his metallic tones rang out the in
vincible belief of the japanese in them
selves and their scarce-concealed con-
tempt for the rest of the world. The
sword Of the Samurai whistled through
the air once again. Not only that.
Baron Takahira added
Il you think II advisable to say any
thing about this in print. hope you will
let il be seen that we must continue TO
act on our own judgment"
Not only was he arrogant; he wanted
il known that he was arrogant. The
answer, OF course. was decisive. the re-
buff complete, and though l continued
10 see him the subject was not again
mentioned. Within less than week
President Roosevelt had notified Japan
that American opinion would no longer
allow her to press Russia for the pay
ment Of the indemnity OF S6OO,OOO.OO0.
and he must appeal TO them TO with
draw their demand. q. w. ;.