THE JAPANESE PEACE COMMISSION.

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 61, 9 September 1905, Page 15

THE JAPANESE PEACE COMMISSION.

The New York correspqhdent of The Times writes under date 24th July : — The journeying of Baron Komura and tke other members of the Japanese Peace Commission eastward has been like a triumphal progress. At every stopping place the official* Cdd leading citizens have welcomvi die Japanese and offered them, entertainment', which has been invariably declined. Baron, feomiira, the only member of the j party who has talked to newspaper men, \ displays a knowledge of conditions in I America which is absolutely amazing. ! \yhen he arrived at Chicago^ Mr. Lewis, a corporation counsel/ (was among those who met him, and Baron Komura expressed a desire to See Mr. Dunne, the Mayor of Chicago. Mr. Dunne, was elected on a platform of which municipal ownership of undertakings of public 'utility was a leading feautre, and BaronKomura knew all about the experimsni being. matfe ili the city. He rfaid it wa* notr'a mattep'in wJiich he was interested' officially, hdt he wanted to talk to Mr. Dunne because municipal ownership was a, good subject on which to be enlightened. He then proceeded ito fcliotf that he knew a good deal ifiore abode it than the reporters who were interviewing "him... '. ( y At. St. Bpll, y*ftsteTday, Baron Komura . consented, to be interviewed at some length: 'His statement is a masterpiece of tact. ' He said not bne word bearing directly on the peace negotiations, and nothing that could offend the RUssiahJ, and yefc he entirely Avoided the Slusivo generalities which are the usual refuge of Occideiital 'diplomatists when they want to be dipldmatiCi ..Baroil Komura said : — ' "The Japanese' p'etfple Wtild never have won a victory, had it not been for three things. ■ In the .first place they were thrke armed By having tH^il- 1 'quarrel just; secondly', their entire public service is absolutely free from corrupt practices; and lastly, their mode of life has ever been one of such extreme simplicity that their soldieis thus gained equipment for the stress of war. They never could Inve gained it had they, like too many other nations, abandoned themselves to lives of luxury nnd sloth afid been unwilling, if not unable, .^0 Sut their hands to sfrenuottf h'sks. Mr. loosevelt, it would seeni, lias iiom tho very beginning recognised the value find truth of 'the idea expressed by the pliilo--sopher when he referred to plain living and high thinking. The importance of the simple life has in Japan beetf'demonstrated by the whole body of people," The arrangements for "the peace conference at Portsmouth are rapidly apprGaching completion. _ The^tate" of Sew Hampshire wants lio defray the whole cost of entertainment Of the Japa-. nese and Russian parties, and it is staled 'that this 'will "probably lie allowed) The Times New York correspondent, writing a day latar, reports :— ln the course of t an interview .tyj-duy, Mr. Sato, a member of tbe Jrtpanese peace mission, speaking on behalf of Baron Komura, said:— "l am confident .thafc" the negotiations will be successful. The Japa- j nese plenipotentiaries will be guided by | moderation, and no excessive demands, j will be triadev Feeling in Japan nnd in | Russia is in. favour of peace, and in the interests of humanity and propriety there must be p^acc . . The ,war fs costing Japan a million dolluis '(£200,000) daily, and thel-e is a fpellng that an indemnity ought, to bo paid." Continuing, Mr, Sato said that an nrmisticc would probably be tho first move of the negotiations, Tho desire of his Government was peace, but not peace nt any price.

A novelty has been brought from Japan (says the Auslrainsinn) in the f>!mpc of small hand towel*, made of some ivnven material, and printed' frith pictures of the war. Tlieio towe'.s arc worked, up into beautiful embroidered cloths ih coloured si!ks and gold thread. Of course, they look very "Jappy/ 1 but the eosfc\of the articles ttt ftrtsent Is trifling, n.nd as, ft 'war memento from those ufc the front they :ar"e greatly prized*. An ' Au&ttaliati travelling lately in Japan hah bought im a great number, and intends teaching tae ai'fc of making them in Sydney, where anything Japanese i* always enthusiastically tnkeu Up.