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Show THE PRESIDENT AS PEAC5 MAKER. It is something new in the world for the President of the United States to step to the front of the whole line of the heads of the nations, and take the Initiative as peacemaker between two great powers, it seems also to be as welcome as It Is new The war party In Russia didn't want to quit the war, and the peace party didn't know how-to how-to make a start for peace. France had offered her good services before, was refused, and didn't want to interpose again. No other power seemed willing to risk a rebuff. But President Roosevelt, Roose-velt, after making sure of his ground, made his move strongly and positively, and It won. He of course stood for the high power and prestige of the United States In this crisis, but nevertheless he is to be congratulated for the timeliness time-liness and success of his effort, and tho whole world Is to be congratulated that through his action a dreadful, destructive destruc-tive war seoma likely to be brought to a close. In President Roosevelt's identical note to the two belligerents inviting them to censo their strife as of no further avail save In useless sacrifice of life and property, he was careful to observe the limitation which Russia has from the first insisted upon: that the negotiations for peace, and the terms of it. must be left wholly to Russia Rus-sia and Japan While this is Russia's stipulation, nnd constantly proclaimed, it will of course be even more satisfactory satisfac-tory to Japan to have this rule prevail. For Japan has had her dose of meddlesomeness meddle-someness by nations having no part in the war. When Japan, defeated China eleven years ago, she was robbed of the fruits of her victory by a coalition of European powers, with Russia at the head. That was a gross Injustice. Which In fact made the present war Inevitable. In-evitable. Japan will therefore resist even more strongly than Russia would do, any Interference with the terms of peace by outside powers. Indeed, one of the main purposes of the treaty she made with Great Britain was to shut out any repetition of that Interference. Interfer-ence. That will leave Russia and Japan, by their combined desire, alone to agree on a treaty of peace. Japan will dictate this, and Russia's part In the negotiations negotia-tions will be to ask modifications. What wJIi ill peace-term bx? . G course they must be such as Russia can reasonably rea-sonably accept, for she is not prostrate under the heel of the conqueror, as France was with Germany in 1871. Japan, however, will necessarily seek to protect herself permanently from any threat of Russian aggression. To that end. she will seek to limit Russia n naval power In the Orient. She may also Insist upon Russia withdrawing to the left bonk of the Amur river, and ceding to Japan her possessions north of Korea to the right bank of that river. Including Vladivostok. She will probably require the transfer to her of the Russian Government's control of the railway system of Manchuria. She will no doubt Insist upon retaining th Lao Tumi peninsula, Including Port Arthur and Dalny, and will restore tho remainder of Manchuria to China, under un-der the express stipulation that If the province Is ever to be alienated, by sovereignty, sov-ereignty, lease, or In any way. Japan is to have the first chance to take it. We do not believe that Japan will Insist In-sist upon a largo indemnity, the other provisions, as Indicated, being infinitely more Important. Much of this, of course, Is speculative. specula-tive. The main thing is that the approach ap-proach to peace negotiations has been opened, nnd opened by tho Chief Magistrate Mag-istrate of this Great Republic. It is a great thing In Itself, nnd will he a glorious glo-rious landmark In the history of mankind. |