The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-30
Deep Role Played by His Pupil at
Portsmouth Laid Founda-
ton for Expansion

deliberations from August 10 to Sep
tcmber 5. 1905. this Is the sum:
Recognition of Japan's paramount In
terests in Corea: control OF one-half
OF the eastern Manchurian railways
by the Japanese: mutual evacuation OF
the field OF war: the cession OF the
southern half of Saghalien: the pay
ment Of $50. 900. 900 for care Of Rus
sian prisoners; transfer to Japan OF
the lease Of the Lao Tung Peninsula,
&C. Yet all this for Europe or Amer
lea meant little. The vital point that
was to touch the whole world was hid
den in that kind Of diplomacy which
may be called secret or Satanic-as
one may Judge.
II was this: Russia agreed to share
with Japan all her special rights in
the Chinese Empire. and accordingly
Mrned over TO her the texts OF all
previous treaties. In a word. japan
thus became coheir in Russla's enor-
nous political fortune in China. that
led all others in age. dignity and i'm
portance. and which had accumulated
since the time Of Peter the Great. Not
even England was so rich In the In
h~eritances of diplomacy. Until 1897
this secret arrangement was unknown
In Washington.
Nevertheless this diplomatic tri-
umph placed the island empire IN a
%precarious situation. While posing ms
champion of "the open door" and
Chlna's territorial integrity and grit
with all the privileges OF the most
favored nation, Russia. Japan was
expected to act with ideal rectitude
and be equally generous TO all parties.
That neither che nor China has been
able to do so has given cause for vast
areas OF copy TO the printers. TO books
that are not literature but only news
paper surmises. and last put mcst dis
tressing. to thousands OF broad red
scare heads in that portion Of the daily
press most c~urlously dubbed. after the
old Chinese imperial color-"yellow."
OF these crimson bulletins 30 per cent.
have been proved to be f~a.sehoods or
distortions. Right or wrong, Japan in
China stood as the equal of semi
Oriental Russia and in so far the su-
perior OF any Occidental nation.
In a word De Witte came e the
council table ~slenderly equipped. He
seemed to have but one dominating
ldea-"no indemnity" pas un SOU
and Komura knew 1t. That this had
been only p colonial war at the end
Of the empire was his own notion.
De Rosen. with diplomatic experience
In Japan. knew better. He had. In
1878, under the very nose Of the able
British envoy. Sir Harry Parkes. So
cured the cession OF Saghalien Island.
commanding Siberia and the mouth Il
the Amur, in exchange for the worth
less Kuriles. At Portsmouth he was
mainly a prompter of De White, who
| had come to save great Russia's face
Nor is II probable that the senior en-
voy paid much attention TO his more
| experienced colleagues warnings or
| suggestions. De White excelled as an
engineer, his forte was not in Ill
f, plomacy. Both men, Kcmura and De
| White. have since passed away, the
first in 1912, the latter in this year II
world war.
With consummate patience and skill
Komura left the matter Of indemnity.
which TO De W!tte was the only Item
OF importance, 10 tne IiNl, az Il re-
servings the Russians thought
Japan's whole case, backed by every
power and resource, for h INA
grapple. Meanwhile De Witte sc'rned
"tr!fes." which enabled Komura &c
score point by point.
The Japanese secured a grip or
what time has shown to be the v!ta!'
Of the problem. The Mikado's empire
could exist and continue without ar
indemnity. What was wanted was
that which would guarantee Japan''
future-a foothold on the continent
, control II the highways 10 Europe
preponderancc in the development ~
Manchuria. the suhordluation OF Chins
and the friendship OF Russia. instead
Of entaillng a legacy ot hatred th'
two countries then and there repre-
sented created a pact Of friendship
All these ~po!nts-the ends for which
the war had been foucht-had beel
settled in Komura's mind before leav
ing Japan and were won at Ports
mouth. Japan's grip on the c%ontinen
was the main issue. and on this issu
she persevered and won.
After due bluting and retreat fror