New-York tribune., 1911-10-22
Anglo-Amerfcan Memories
CNLTT.
copyright. 1911. GeorE. w. sman.,1

l lUeSday-three days on. ! agreed 10 that.
Believing the end was upon us, I had
looked at my watch as I lighted my Gig
arctic. I looked al it again when Komura
made his suggestion. Just eight minutes
had elapsed. The Conference had been
within eight minutes of utter collapse.
We all understood that Count Komura's
m tion to adjourn till Tuesday was
meant TO give time TO communicate with
Toxic and St Petersburg"
Count Witte paused moment in his
story. We had been tramping up and
down the deck OF the Kaiser Wilhelm.
We stopped. I felt sure something else
was coming, and it came. said the
Count:
That was the moment your President
chose TO intervene; not, as before. to
urge my Imperial Master to pay $500
100000 10 Japan, but to tell Japan she
must withdraw that demand. When we
next met. Count Komura said. I with
draw the demand for an indemnity; and
I said, I accept that There were other
EbAAAASs uS SOu hiipNs FNN III NAANNN
peace was assured
Suppose the war had gone On?'
I'VE had considered that. and, as YOU
know, there was d strong party In Rus
sia which preferred war. There were
men about His Majesty the Emperor
who pressed it upon him. was not one
Ny business was to make peace II l
could. But | vas never one who thought
the military power of Russia exhausted,
nor that Of japan invincible in the long
run. We reckoned that Japan had
money and munitions of war 10 last tlll
next spring. She would have had
winter campaign before her, deserts and
vast spaces 10 travel as we retired, she
growing weaker as she advanced and
we stronger as ve retreated upon our
base How was she TO raise money 10
20 on? She had pledged everything she
had-exCept her women. Russia had
pledged nothing. Her credit was i'm
paired. in a sense, but that only meant
that We should have to pay higher rate
for a new loan. The price of issue would
have been low. but we should have got
the money. I did not want TO re-enter
upon the struggle, but I would infinitely
rather have done that than pay the in
demnity Who could say with what re-
suit? C'est Ia gueve comme Ia
gHeyTe.'
7 sum II all up in this way: It was
Count Witte who, with that fortunate
which is Machiavellis ideal
IN The Prince brought the American
people back to their ancient friendship
for Russia. and with them the Presl-
dent Ii was Count Witte who formed
that body of American opinion without
which Mr.. Roosevelt as | have else
where related. never, he said. entered
upon a great policy. In so far as the
President, having failed 10 coerce Rus-
sia. compelled Japan TO renounce 4er
money claim. he was indebted 70 Count
Witte for the opportunity. ! 90 further
hack than that II was when Count
Witte told the Car that he would never
agree to pay an indemnity. and Would go
10 Portsmouth only on that condition
that the Conference became possible.
The Japanese thought he was blufiing.
At last. almost too late, the withdrawal
of the claim which japan never doubted
she could enforce, was seen 10 he the so'e
alternative TO that renewal of the war
which Japan never thought possible. II
was therefore first Of all Count Wltte'
and perhaps secondly the Russian En-
peror. who we're the real authors or the
Peace Of Portsmouth President Roose-
velt's Intervention was useful and was
made with great courage and judgment
at the right moments. But Of Itself i
would not have availed.
The short specimens have given you
If Count Witte's talk are specimens
only. Both at Portsmouth and on the
Atlantic his conversation had a quality
Of its own. If it suited his purpose ne
WAS dIffuse. He could discourse at
length and say nothing not less plausibly
than the diplomatist who had spent his
official life in that exhilaratlng practice.
He could be concise, also, when he chose
and pack as much into sentence as
most men. At critical instant OF the
he was pressed for a state
ment. He answered:
The treaty between England and
Japan has just been revised and renewed
for ten years. If you will get me
CODY Of It l will tell you everything that
has passed al the Conference
4 safe offer. bat It silenced his dues-
toner. He talked much about Russia
and at times a little about himself.
had suggested that he was going back
after a memorable victory and that his
ravard would he memorable. He shook
his head.
Won do not know what influences
there are against me. nor how close they
are TO His Imperial Majesty. A decora-
,ion perhaps. but do not expect to re-
onter public life as a Minister. What
ever seems good 10 the Emperor VIII be
good for me
This rather melancholy forecast proved
true 4 title, place in the CounciI OF
the Fmpire an order, / think. and that
,.ss all. But Russia well knew how she
psd been sery ed and what her debt was
IL, Count Wittc Court favor Is, at best.
,rsoa rious. and a republic may think 1t
- do,,btful value. But the great Pleni-
ro,ontiary Of Portsmouth, hitherto little
1,rou.n out Of his own country and out
of the world Of finance, tai % a pefma-
,o,, Mace i'm history. In a great crisis
10 had shown great qualities. out OF
tho nettIe danger he had plucked the
TT. novice in diplomacy.