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Show II .jl, NO SELFISH INTERESTS. I'l Wish of United States for Peace Not M ! of Selflsli Character. I ' ' "WASHINGTON, March 20. Tho genuine I S wish of this Government for peace in tho I i lar Bast Is not based upon sclllsh Intor-I Intor-I n ( osis. American financiers have not ovor-I ovor-I 'J , loaded themselves with bonds of either of I $ f the. belligerent nations. Washington bc-I bc-I 11 Woven that It is to tho advantage of both I fi belligerents that tho far East war como 1,(1 jto a speedy end, and anything that this I i Government can do to bring that about II j,f will be dono gladly. Ml Roosevelt Willing. I 1 From tho outset of tho war tho Presl- Kl dent lias taken tho position, as has been 8 -epcatcdly ojinounccd by Secretary Hay, B,iv that ho will do anything in his power to It! assist Russia and Japan to a peaco basis I I when his services shall be acceptable to I ,NJ tho belligerents, But It is authoritatively & stHtcd that no official of tho Washington h Governmeut Is ambitious to pose jus the jj medlatpr botween tho Czar and Mikado, r Negotiate Directly. I ) It Is tho feeling hero that Russia and I1 j Jnpan should negotiate directly and avoid ) an international conference. This opinion l also prevails In Berlin Indeed. Japan has jjj.J recently received an urgent warning against Indirect negotiations. lest thoy lead to an International, conference tho ro-l ro-l suits of which might hrovc disastrous to J I the Interests of both belligerents. . i France Hard at Work. J j Thero Is authority for tho statement p'j J that France Is diligently striving to end tho war. and for six weeks past negotiate negotia-te 1 tlcns of tho most confidential character i) j have been In progress between Paris and "i St. Petersburg. Even diplomats of the I ( highest rank nave failed to obtain from j M. Delcnsse, tho French Minister, the re-, re-, I 1 suits of tho negotiations, but it can be ) announced on the same authority that .J j Count Lamsdorn", the Russian Minister for k r Foreign Affairs, has within a week nci-n nci-n mlltou that ho had, In a general way. out-U out-U lined to M- Delcasse tho general terms '11 i along which Russia might consent to con-I con-I slder peace, I j Fear International Conference. ' .Advlcca from Europe tell of tho fear t ji prevalent there In certain quarters that J j the activities of Inmsdorff and Delcneso t ore directed toward an International con-ilc con-ilc ference to bo held In some neutral Euro-i Euro-i J pean capital, such as Stockholm, where r 1 peace negotiations might bo conducted. It Ij ' Is said that this movo has been, In a 5 , measure, blocked by tho refusal of Japan lo glvo any Indication as to tho peaco !(" terms she would accept until positively ill assured in tho namo of tho Czar himself I'l that Russia is prepared to ncgotlato in !ij J good faith for peoce. Not only docs Japan i 3 Irslst upon this assurance, but sho prefers ' j to negotiate directly with St. Petersburg. I Watching for Opportunity. y "With the United States, Germany and Ijl 1 Japan opposed to an international confer-j(; confer-j(; 4 enco to end tho war, tho belief Is strong ,' J In Washington that successful peaco ne-, ne-, i gatlatlons will dato from tho day St. !' I Petersburg communicates with Toklo dl-m dl-m j reel. Tho Washington Government Is p'jp alertly watching the opportunity to assist Hjfi Russia and Japan In getting Into dlplo- malic communication. Thus would nn it) j international conference bo avoided, and hi ( he United States would be In a better ; j j)csltion to Insist upon the maintenance or 8 ? integrity and administrative entity of lis I China. No negotiations Involving an at-wh at-wh I tack upon this principle can be acquiesced liB J In by tho United States |