The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1919-06-20

was al Lne beginning OF the WOrlu
war. Lloyd George said to one of his
colleagues at the Paris conference:
Any peace which we negotiate here
with Russia left out would be ira
vesty for Russia comprises half of the
dry land of Europe and half of Asia
also,' and he might have added over
one seventh of the dry land of the
earth.
Relations between our country and
Russia have always been of the most
friendly character, and were not in
terrupted by our abrogating the COM
mercial treaty with that country, as
we did in 1912. When l went to Rus
STA as Ambassador early in 1916, one
year before we entered the war, my
first or main object was to negotiate
new commercial treaty. / preached
the subject to Sazanoff, Minister of
Foreign Affairs, under the Empire, at
our first interview, and was greatly
disappointed when he said to me that
Russia would make no treaties until
her commercial relations with her
allies were defined and determined
"That conference was April 20, 1916,
the treaty with Japan, which was
then being negotiated, was consum-
mated within two months; that treaty
was signed by Motono, the Japanese
Ambassador, who was also at that
time dean of the Diplomatic Corps
and Sasanoff, the Russian Minister of
Foreign Affairs. The secret provi-
sions of the treaty were not divulged
until the Bolsheviki came into power
late in 1917 and published all of the
secret treaties. That treaty was
hailed with such delight in Japan that
Motono was recalled and made Minis
ter of Foreign Affairs and Viscomte,
and there were numerous banquets
and bon-fres throughout Japan to
celebrate the treaty. 1t was not re-
ceived with such reclamation in Rus
STA. Sazanoff who had been Minister
of Foreign Affairs since 1910 was sue
ceeded by Sturmer, and the people at
tributed Sazanoff's downfall to the
Japanese treaty, but this is another
story.
Sought Closer Relations
II was speaking of the sentiment of
Russia toward America. | made ev-
cry effort during my stay in Russia
to bring the two countries closer to-
gether. After Sazanoff expressed in
such positive way that Russia would
not negotiate new commercial treaty
with the United States, / turned my
attention to promoting commerce be-
ween the two countries-the denun-
citation of the treaty had not inter-
ferred with our international COM
mercial relations.
A large portion of the commerce
between this country and Russia was
transacted through England and a
much larger portion through Germany;
it was the custom of American firms
who wished to sell their wares to Rus
STA to establish agencies in Germany
for that purpose. made effort to
promote direct commercial relations;
not only encouraging American ex-
porters aihd Russian purchasers to
make acquaintance, but even before
leaving America had a conference
with the president of the Western
Union Telegraph Company. Mr.. Carl
ton, with whom | was personally ac-
quainted, and suggested or urged the
having of a direct cable between the
American and Russian coasts.
II even went so far after my arriv-
al in Russia as to obtain the consent
of the Russian Government to defray
half of the cable which was estimated
at that time at about six million dol
lars. AS the State Department said
they had no objection to my submit
ting a proposition to the Western I'm
ion Telegraph Company inasmuch as
our Government was not at that time
interested in or controlling public
utilities, | wrote Mr.. Carlton of the
agreement secured from the Russian
Government, stating furthermore that
Russia besides furnishing half of the
cost of the cable would be willing to
lease it to the Western Union Com
pany for operation and would ac-
cept as it's portion of the rental 6
per cent interest on its investment;
but the reply was that the Western
Union or the American Telephone and
Telegraph Company, which owned the
Western Union, would not see it's way
clear to join in the enterprise. My
recollection, moreover, is that |
wrote Mr.. Carlton that if the cable
would not pay operating expenses in
the beginning or for several years
thereafter thought the Russian
Government would be willing to fore
go its interest. l cannot recall at this
time whether Mr.. Carlton made any
reply to my last letter or treated the
proposition as closed.
"At any rate, l planned taking up
the project again but was prevented
by the March, 1917, revolution which
/ was delighted to welcome. 1t meant
not only the overthrow of an absolute
monarchy and the liberation of the
great masses of the Russian people
but the removal of a great impedi
ment to our entering the war-that
was the making co-belligerent or al
ly of an absolute autocracy. The rev
olution began Fl days before Presi
dent Wilson delivered his memorable
l,address to Congress April g., 1917
recommending that a state of war b
declared to exist in Germany. Tel
, days after the revolution began, how
| ever. and seven days after the Pro
visional Government was formed,