Topics of the Moment: The Russo-Japanese Treaty; The Portsmouth Peace and the War; The President Under Water

TOPICS OF MOMENT.

The Russo-Japanese Treaty.

The treaty recently conducted between Japan and Russia, at Portsmouth, was quite a surprise to the civilized world. The ad- mirers of Japanese fortitude and courage were little prepared to see their heroes yield so much in diplomacy, when they had been so relentless and irresistible in war. While Russia accepted the demands most vital to Japan, respecting Corea, Port Arthur, Liao- tung peninsula, Manchuria, the eastern Chinese railway, and Sak- halin, she stubbornly refused to pay a cent indemnity. That was the one important consideration upon which the question of peace hinged, and it was upon that point that President Roosevelt brought to bear his great influence. If we except England, no nation in the world stands higher

than the United States. More and more, this country is entering the domain of European diplomacy; and it is seriously believed Dy the great powers that some day the United States will have its allies in Europe, and that our period of isolation will cease. No nation wishes to hasten such an alliance, by a disregard of public sentiment in the United States. Could Russia have been coerced into the payment of an in- demnity? While the Russian attitude, or its diplomacy, generally speaking, isone of bluster and bluff, no one really felt that any pressure whatever would influence her to submit on that question. Then what? It would have meant another issue at arms. To the loss of fifty or a hundred thousand men, Russia would have been much less sensitive than Japan. With the autocracy of Russia, human beings do not count for what they do in Japan.

Russia would have regarded it as a national honor, in comparison

936 IMPROVEMENT ERA.

with which men would have been mere specks. Japan, all through the war, has shown far greater and more humane considerations for her soldiers. But Japan must win. That would be the judgment of all, in view of what had been done. But what would Japan win? If she drove the Russians back even to Lake Baikal she would have to satisfy her demands out of Russian territory, territory that Japan does not want, does not need. Harbin would have been left in ruins, the bridge over the Sungari would have been blown up, and the railroad destroyed. Without Russian commerce, the railroad would be of no particular benefit to Japan, and she does not covet Russian territory along the Amur. Japan could not satisfy her demands out of Manchuria. That reallv belongs to- China, and Japan has pledged herself to respect the integrity of the Chinese rule in that province. There was really nothing important for Japan to get by a fur- ther prosecution of the war. More war meant more expense, and more loss of human lives. Russia could fall back to the Urals, and then there would be no possible means of getting indemnity. Even if Japan had surrounded Linevitch, and compelled the sur- render of his army, she would simply have had an army to feed, at an enormous expanse, without any assurance that Russia would have paid that bill. To have fought further for an indemnity would have been sending good money after bad. It would have

been for an empty purse; and it is not at all unlikely that the •continuation of the war, under such circumstances, would have alienated the true friends of Japan in a great measure. The admirers of the Japs, no doubt, really felt that Japan was entitled to indemnity, and would have been glad to see her get the costs of the war, and might have thought there was some justifi- cation for its continuance, if there had been any prospects of get- ting it by further fighting. Another factor in the interest of human liberty may here be mentioned. It was believed by manv that the further humiliation

of Russia would lead to such a revolution, in that country, that a fuller measure of representative government and religious liberty would result. Such calculations are hardly warranted by the facts. The promises of the Czar respecting a representative as-

TOPICS OF M0MEN1. 937

sembly have, in a great measure, pacified the opposition; and it is just possible that thewar might have become popular with the masses who could have been easily persuaded that Japan was in the wrong. Even if further reverses on the battle field had aroused the opposition in Russia to greater efforts and more radical de- mands, there is no evidence that the military forces at home are not strong enough to resist a revolution. As time goes on, the wisdom of Japan's decision, to waive the question of indemnity, rather than resort to arms to collect it, will be appreciated.— J. M. Tanner.

The Portsmouth Peace and the War.

The surprise which most people experienced when hearing of the terms of peace between Japan and Russia is gradually giving way to a feeling that in the peace agreement the best course was taken. Baron Komura was quite as surprised as any one could be when he received notice that the elder statesmen at Tokio had been influenced for "peace without indemnity," and that his gov- ernment had been induced to accept the terms proposed. The dis- patches report that he "was first incredulous, then astounded,

then frantic with rage," when he first received orders to waive all indemnity. But, however that may be, the whole world agrees that to President Roosevelt belongs much of the honor that en- abled the commissioners to bring about the desired result. His labors were recognized in messages of congratulation from the Czar, the Mikado, the crowned heads of Europe, and from many prominent citizens of private and official life, all acknowledging his great services as a peacemaker. Even Pope Pius exclaimed, "Thank God for President Roosevelt'3 courage." Aside from the war party in Russia, and some disgruntled persons in Japan, who complain that Japan lost in diplomacy what she won on the battle- field, all the world seems satisfied with the results, notwithstand- ing it has provoked intense dissatisfaction in the countries of both belligerents. There are, however, some papers in our country which express the fear that President Roosevelt, in doing this great service for humanity, has jeopardized the neutral position heretofore maintained by the United States of America, in relation to all other nations, which may eventually involve us in "entang.

938 IMPROVEMENT ERA.

ling alliances." Time will prove whether this fear is well grounded. The following principal features of the war, compiled by the Literary Digest, will prove interesting for reference, and shows that war requires above all things life and money:

War began February 6, 1904 Lasted (days) 570 Men sent by Russia to the front (estimated) 840,000 Men sent by Japan to the front 700,000 Total Russian dead and wounded 192,000 Total Japanese dead and wounded 154,900 Russians taken prisoners 67,700 Japanese taken prisoners 646 Russian ships lost 49 Japanese ships lost 10 Cost of war to Russia $1,042,500,000 Cost of war to Japan $613,050,000 Togo attacked Port Arthur February 8, 1904 Petropavlovsh sunk in sortie.. April 13, 1904 Battle of the Yalu, Russians defeated May 1, 1904 Battle of Nanchan Hill, Russians defeated May 22-26, 1904 Battle of Wofanghao, Russians defeated June 14, 1904 Battle of Haicheng, Russians abandoned position.. July 30 August 2, 1904 Kamimura defeated Vladivostok Squadron August 14, 1904 General assault on Port Arthur August 19, 1904 Battle of Liaoyang, Russians defeated August 26 September 4, 1904 Battle of Sha RiVer, Russians defeated October 11-12, 1904 Battle of 203-metre Hill, Russians defeated November 29-30, 1904 Port Arthur surrendered January 2, 1905 Battle of the Hun River, Russians routed January 25-29, 1905 Battle of Mukden, Russians defeated February 25-March 29, 1905 Battle of the Sea of Japan, Russians defeated May 27-28, 1905 President proposes peace in note to belligerents June 8, 1905 Japanese accepted proposal June 10, 1905 Russians accepted proposal Junel2, 1905 Peace envoys met at Portsmouth August 10, 1905 Envoys agreed to terms of treaty of peace August 29, 1905 Treaty signed September 5, 1905

The President Under Water.

On the 25th of Augus*-, President Roosevelt took a three-and

TOPICS OF MOMENT. 939

a- half-hour tripin the submarine boat Plunger, running the craft himself a part of the time, and at one period remaining submerged for fifty minutes. When the trip was made, "a stinging northeast gale blew over the sound near Oyster Bay, and lashed its surface into a fury," sowe are told. But he "took a dare." and went down to the bottom of the sea and remained there for fifty min- utes, besides subjecting himself during two hours more to other risks, "as the craft darted like a porpoise through the waters." Some think it was foolhardy on his part, some praise his proclivity to do daring and unexpected things; and this is how the Aew York World humorously sums up his spirit and peculiarities:

President Roosevelt should have an individual Hall of Fame. The president is twenty men rolled into one; there are more sides to his char- acter than there are facets on a diamond. A composite photograph of Theodore Roosevelt would look like the grandson of Nimrod and a cen- taur, with a rifle in one hand, a boxing glove on the other, with a diver's helmet on his head, and a clergyman's white "choker" around his neck. Such a photograph would be like the president's makeup — beautiful, but complex. Mr. Roosevelt is never happv unless he is doing something else. Every now and then you read in the newspapers that the "President had the time of his life." The time of his life is all the time. He is as happy taking a header on a submarine boat as he is preaching to a con- gregation of schoolma'ams that the loneliest and least patriotic creature on top of the earth is an old maid. His existence is one continual round of shooting the chutes.