The Wanganui Herald. [PUBLISHED DAILY.] MONDAY, AUGUST 14,1907 PEACE AND THE UNEMITY QUESTION.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11636, 14 August 1905, Page 4

The Wanganui Herald. [PUBLISHED DAILY.] MONDAY, AUGUST 14,1907 PEACE AND THE UNEMITY QUESTION.

Saturday's cables stated fat h Japanese Plenipotentiary had *nd</ a copy of Japan's peace conditiap trfthe Russian representative, and/he / eace Con * foronce had adjourned tsnaf the Russians to examine them &d ppare a reply. It is understood fat * main features of the Japanese tsns I the cession of Saghalien and thafrei* rscment ° f the expenses of the w/r, tf word "reimbursement" being used thrl"°ut instead of indemnity. According! r ec ent estimates^ Japan hj\s borrovl for the purposej*i%£L» I* and & _ wiU take .£30,000,0^ J^Kj^j™" 1 for its wounded %< vv b e reaved victims^ o ™?' mercial losses/ £ plaoe d at £15,000,tKKj and may be acco unted fol under the hA of "miscellaneous." Thij makes a tof ' of .£181,500,000. German! took fcovnjf^ce fouT times more thsa

the actual costs of the war, and, following Germany's precedent, Japan is perfectly justified if she claims - a roxmd ,£200,000,000 from Eussia, and employs the balance above her actual outlay and losses 'for the peaceful development of Japan, and especially of Korea, where railways, harbours, telegraphs, roads, schools, industries, etc., have to be created and where good government has to be introduced. It is extremely unlikely, however, that Russia will consent to the payment of such an indemnity, for the information conveyed by to-day's cables, is to the effect that the Russian representative practically refused to discuss the question of indemnity or the cession, of Saghalien. Many prominent Russian officials, .it is also stated, are convinced that the disclosure of Japan's terms is bound to make war more palatable to the country. On this point late Home papers give some interesting details of the extraordinary council presided over by, the Czar, at which the practical decision was taken to terminate the war if the conditions, were"* not too onerous. Besides the 'older, male -members of the Imperial family, all the Ministers were present, ac ralso .strategic experts of the army and majiry'^and, other important personages. .With ■ Grand Dukes Vladimir and Alexander Michaelovich as leaders all . the members of the Imperial family, except Nicholas Nicholaevitch, favoured an attempt to conclude peace. Only Genera] . Sakharoff, the Minister of War, an/ General Lobko, from among the Ministen held out for the prosecution of the w/« The former displayed a telegram fif 1 General Linevitch, importing the straw* 0 position of the army as good and exp/ 3S " ing not only confidence in his abili/ *° defeat the enemy, but even to afr me the offensive. General Sakharoff's/rgument, however, was easily outweigfd by j the considerations presented by thr other j Ministers, "especially as the Emper from the beginning manifested a stro/ disposition to end the struggle if hfcourable J terms were procurable. The radM Press, which hounds the Government/ 0 matter which way it turns, has sine/the meeting of the Council been seetfg" to take advantage of the new situson created j by the possibility of peace, /lthough for months it has been preachJs peace and i the abandonment of the A ol ° of the Manchurian adventure at fo Co ß ** & nas now veered .round and /etends to be horrified at the fact that£ ussia can con " tempiate the possibilit/> f surrendering her position on the P^ c and purchasing peace at the pric£> f an indemnity, after the sacrifice oF" 11 * 0113 of the people's money and jkousands of the people's lives, and dAares that only the people, shall decide Aether the country shall submit to \th/ humiliation. These tactics, it. is' though will produce all the more effect, since/so far as the indemnity goes, the rapl papers undoubtedly reflect the views/ the masses of the Russian people, as/H a Ba B those prevalent in official circles. A* is this q uestion of the indemnity/* 1 reimbursement, then, that will be t* main obstacle to an agreement, and v^ s Japan consents to moderate her deijkd 8 there seems little likelihood of a^ sa^ s^ ac * or y outcome of the Peace Confp nce » f° r Russia is not yet convinced I^ eT inability to defeat Japan and recovA er losfc ground.