Evening star., 1920-01-28
Copyright. 1890.


the czar had intended. He wants it
to be drawn up for the maintenance
of peace in Europe. rather than for the
specific purpose of helping localiZe the
RuSso-Japanese war He emphatically
refuses to let the car inform France
OF the clause that Russia and Ger
many would act together in the event
third power thought it's neutrality
affected by the furnishing of coal.
This matter of coaling is directly
allied to events in the Russo-Japanese
war. England by it's treaty with ia
pan agreed to observe a strict neu-
trality in case of a war which in
volved Japan. AS owner OF nearly all
the important coaling stations. Eng
land kept coal from Russia'S ships on
the ground that the treaty forbade
her supplying them. Yet Admiral
Rosdostvensky was enabled to steam
from the Baltic to the Sea of Japan
because Germany supplied coal to the
Russian ships en- route. This gives
especial significance to the clause re-
garding the delivery of coal. for it is
a direct hit at Great Britain.
The letters, copies of which were
brought from Moscow by Isaac Don
Levine follow:
Kaiser Wants Treaty Stronger.
'Neues Palais. November II. 1901
Dearest Nicky: Your kind letter
shows once more that the localization
of the actual war and the avoidance
of European war are the guiding
principle of our mutual exertions. l
take the liberty of abusing your kind
permission in our mutual interest to
propose two changes; one is to modify
my proposal, the other the final clause
of yours.
1T may be possible that the SEN
tence. A fin de localiser la guerre
Russo-Japanaise' lin order to localize
hn u, Il,
the publication officially or by indis-
cretion secretly the contents of the
treaty became known, could be inter-
preted by other powers as meaning
that the treaty was valid only in case
England went to war as ally OF Japan
i. e.. directed as a menace Of provo
cative meaning solely against her.
In reality and practically it is SO, but
Tout verite nest pas bon dire
1T is not good to tell the whole
truth We now see the British public
in a state of nervousness nearly bor-
dering on lunacy, of which it has just
given US all some delightful proofs.
1t would in this mood look upon this
treaty as a direct provocation and
straightaway urge on the final ca
taStrophe we both are trying to
avoid or to postpone at least. There
fore. l suggest a sentence used by
yourself, a fin d'assurer le maintien
assure the maintenance of peace in
Europe'1, which would answer per-
fectly to our purpose and can on no
account be looked upon as a provoca-
ton. We only think of ourselves and
refrain from pointing with fingers at
anybody (Which besides is looked
upon as want of manners in So
ciety). Nobody with clean con-
science n. bias any right to feel
annoyed at such treaty, and it will
be very difficult for the irate jingoes
in England to turn its conclusion
into a casus belli.'
"Keep America Out Of It.,
"The next change refers to the newly
added final clause of the treaty. 1t
must be borne in mind that should you.
for instance, wish the treaty to remain
unpublished, indiscretions are possible
walls have ears and diplomatists tongues
that will wag-under such circumstances
the meaning put upon this sentence
would be that had precisely bound my
self to help you to defend the conquests
of Russia, which would tend to imme-
diately replace article l in purely ag-
gressive light. This would lead the
whole political world to infer that We
had-instead of concluding a defensive
alliance-formed a sort of chartered
company limited for annexation pur-
poses. possibly involving secret clauses
for the private benefit of Germany. The
general miStrust ensuing would graVely
imperil our mutual situation. because
America would Immediately join Eng
land-which on no account must be al
lowed-acting under the suspicion that
Russia and Germany were on the move
for aggressive operations to further SELL
ish ends. But it will just be the main
task of Russian and German diploma
lists to stop America joining England.
Should the treaty become known either
by official publication or indiscretions,
Buelow-in answering questions in par
liament-must be able to declare that
no secret clauses exist able to harm the
defensive nature of the treaty or assur-
ing Germany-au detriment des autres
ITO the detriment of the others Amy
thing else beyond the help in the defense
of the peace of Europe. If IT were en-
dangered by anybody else. This is why
I submit a different wording OF the SEN
tence. ~
The ruling idea in it is the contn-
nous polemic Of the Russian press in
the last months against peace con-
gress for mediation, like in 1873. OF
which your papers are afraid that IL
may be summoned together again
and signs there are that some powers
are already working in that direction,
especially Paris and London, and
which would do everything in its
power to bring the victors and van
quished to one and the same level and
quests and advantages as in 1878. Be-
sides this sentence in it's new form
excludes all possibilities once for all
for Germany ever being party to
such peace congress. and at the
same time robs all evil wiShers and
critics of the opportunity to suggest
that we have any goal in view but
that of preserving peace without prov
ocation. These are my two proposals
1 venture to submit to your kind ap-
proval, which, l hope, may be accorded
to them, intending by them to avoid
letting England take an active part
in this war and if possible to hinder
America from joining her.
rat this time President Roosevelt
was active in trying to convene
peace congress at The Hague. but the
objections of Russia caused the plan
to be abondoned.1
Should France Know All:
.T don't know whether you think 1T
necessary to communicate the secret
clause [IIIl to France. 1t is quite as
Won like. but I believe that the other
articles will retain her from turning
aside. Delcasse, 1 am sure, will imme-
diately find out the anti-congress tend
ency in the sense, and, considering
that he has already opened negotla,
tions between London and Paris and
with other powers for the summoning
of a peace congress for mediation. he
will be placed in a certain difficulty.
having to suddenly break off his ne
gotiations already ientamees' lopenedl
'Doubtless the French would much
prefer any other grouping of powers
to that of the alliance a trois, as In
1895, but the Russo-German treaty
once a fact our combined powers will
exert a strong attraction on France,
which you have already foreSeen IN
your telegram of October %, when
Won saw: After the arrangement is
accepted by US France is bound to
ioin.' OF course. it will be the work
ai.lopnacu tn make the naceS-