Show efforts to prevent discrimination of passports have not been entirely fruitless american ambassador optimistic st petersburg oct 6 contrary to general expectations the represents alons submitted to russia by the united states for the recognition without discrimination of american passports not been entirely fruitless foreign minister response communicated to ambassador alck today even creates the hope that something may actually be accomplished shed after receiving consideration at the foreign office the american note was referred to the high commission for general revision of the passport laws which was created by imperial ukase in december 1903 all matters relating to passports and the exclusion of the jews are governed by the international laws of the empire and the question is outside of the direct field of diplomatic negotiations by referring the representation of the united states compliance with which would involve a modification of the passport laws to the commission which body is competent to act thereon a decision of the question may be directly reached an official of the foreign office has been by count lamsdorff to sit with he commission thus insuring consideration of the international ter aspect of the question moreover the commission will sit under the direction of the minister of the interior andi ambassador mccormick who had an extended talk with prince the minister ot the interior upon the subject this evening and found him as might have been expected from bis recent public utterances quite sympathetic indeed here Is reason to believe that reference 0 o the subject of the commission was previously arranged at a conference between count lamsdorff and prince considering that this is the first time the russian authorities ties have not declined to entertain american representations upon this question the present response to ambassador mccormick may be regarded as another signal proof of rus sias desire for friendly relations with the united states |