The New York herald., 1921-04-10


end break my neck. But everything hap
pened Just as he said" This was after the
Emperor had actually been In serious ac-
cident to a train. Whites railway achieve
ments led to his career as a high Govern
ment official; he assumed that character in
1888. In page or two of gossip he tells in
credible stories Of the thrifty personal habits
Of the Emperor Alexander Ill, monster Of
frugality and "a splendid example of the
old God fearing Russian, type"
A list of chapter headings gives some
clue to his progress: My Work as Minister
of Finances: Dealing With Ii Hung Chang
Origins and Cause of the Russo Japanese
War; The Peace at Portsmouth; Nicholas III.
and Alexandra; The Cars Attempts at Re-
form: The Manifesto of October IL 1905;
Bloody Sunday and the First Soviet; The
Loan That Saved Russia My Premiership
Stolypins Reactionary Regime; My Expert
ences With the Kaiser. The penetrating
mind and the outspoken spirit combine to
make a startling record, whether the mat
ter be relatively frivolous or of the utmost
gravity. The whole reflection of life at the
Court toward the end is extremely signif-
cant and of poignant intent. But the shock
ing end of 1t all throws q black shadow over
the cumulative details of misgovernment and
futility and worse.
On the Voyage to America He Made
A Plan of Campaign for Sympathy
Possibly the chapter in which Count Witte
writes of his experiences at Portsmouth as
the Russian Emperor's plenipotentiary to
meet the Japanese will be found entertaining
in itself without reference to the background
of Russian political chicane. Here, as every
where Count Witte writes with the utmost
frankness.
"At the time of my departure for the
United States of America our financial situa
tion was as follows: We had exhausted all
our means and had lost our credit abroad.
There was not the slightest hope of floating
either a domestic or foreign loan. We could
continue the war only by resorting to new
issues of paper money, that is. by preparing
the way for complete financial and conse-
quently economic collapse. The
Car had just told him as the last instruc-
ton: Not a kopeck of indemnity nor an
inch of Russian territory to be ceded."
"On board ship" the Count goes on, Il had
opportunity to remain alone and reflect.
This programme l followed strictly
throughout my stay In the United States,
where / lived, 1t were, in glass house,
always in everybody's sight. like an actor on
the stage. L believe | owe my diplomatic
success partly to that programme. On board
our liner l began to put my plan into effect,
and as a result there soon established
between me and the numerous passengers
a relationship of cordiality which, spreading
from the steamer into the public and the
press. created an atmosphere favorable to
myself and Russia. Not only did not shun
the reporters but. on the contrary. | ac-
tually met them half way in their desire to
keep the world abreast of what was going
on at the conference. Naturally, / had con-
stantly to be on the alert.
1T is open secret that nearly all
Japan's war loans were fioated on the
American money market, so that America
practically financed japan in her clash with
us Furthermore, American public opinion,
on the whole. was on our enemy's side. An
ticipating the current of events, | may say
/ succeeded in swerving American opinion
over to us. BY my course of action grad
ually won the press over so that
when I left the transatlantic republic prac-
tically the whole press was our cham
pion.