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Page 5
The conference will be held with or without England, but, feeling that
Russia and Japan may also have cause for offence if England refuses to
meet them, it is said that the State Department has written once more to
the British Government, urging it to send some one to be present at the
meetings.
It is also reported that Sir Julian Pauncefote is anxious that England
should be represented, and has used his influence to get her to do so.
Our Government is inclined to think that England's refusal is not very
polite. Lord Salisbury, however, says that he is entirely free from all
blame in the matter, and that the whole trouble has been caused by a
misunderstanding with our ambassador, Colonel Hay.
His Lordship declares that when Colonel Hay saw him in July last, and
gave him the information that Russia and Japan had consented to take
part in the conference, he immediately said:
"Oh, no, Great Britain will not take part on such conditions."
Our ambassador did not hear any such reply, and understood Lord
Salisbury to consent.
In the mean while, the representatives of Russia and Japan have arrived
in this country, and are waiting for the conference to begin.
The English papers express themselves as being very pleased that England
has refused to be present at the meeting. They insist that we were
setting a trap for England, and trying to get her to say or do something
at the conference which would let us out of paying the $425,000 of the
Paris award.
This is unkind of them, and not quite fair to us. By looking at page
926, you will see that it was agreed that about $425,000 should be paid
to Canada as damages for keeping her out of the Bering Sea. This sum was
to be paid subject to the approval of Congress.
When Congress came to look into the matter, it was found that Canada was
not dealing quite fairly with us. A number of false claims were set up,
and we were asked to pay for damage we had never done. A committee was
appointed to look into the various claims, and is still at work on them.
As soon as these matters are thoroughly sifted, the just claims will be
paid.
It does not seem right to accuse us of trying to avoid paying our debts
because we want the items of every bill we are asked to pay. Every
business man throughout the country likes to know what he is paying for
before he parts with his good money, and why should a nation be less
careful than an individual?
* * * * *
Since the Greek Boul� accepted the terms of the treaty of peace, the
business of settling these unfortunate affairs has been proceeding
without any further hitch.
The new Prime Minister declared on his accepting office that his first
act should be to secure the evacuation of Thessaly, that is, the removal
of the Turkish troops.
He has set himself a task that would seem to be very difficult to
perform, for it is reported that the Sultan has sent twenty thousand
fresh troops into the territory within the last few days.
The explanation he gives for this act, which looks very like a breach of
faith with the Powers, is that he has sent these men to replace the
invalid and disabled soldiers who are among his troops.
The necessity for such action is not apparent to the European
governments, as the terms of peace had been agreed on, and Greece had
accepted them, so it did not seem as though the Sultan needed to keep a
strong fighting force in Thessaly.
People in Europe are daily growing more fearful that the Sultan does
not mean to keep his promises, and that he will force Greece to pay the
large war indemnity, while he keeps possession of Thessaly, and rules
the Cretans in exactly the same cruel manner that he did before the war.
A French journal has published an interesting account of the Sultan as a
man.
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