The Fortnightly Review: No. CCCCLXIII, New Series [‎667r] (224/239)

CORRESPONDENCE.
193
the levee or the Court, a few added opportunities of making money
by contracting or corruption, these are the principal effects upon the
Romanoff family. And yet it is in the palaces of the Romanoffs that
the peace will be decided upon when it comes. Not in the ministries,
but in the homes of the Tsar, the Grand Dukes and their satellites
must peace be sought. In these mysterious backwaters the policy
of Russia is framed, and it is no exaggeration to say that often the
whisper of a Grand-ducal mistress has more weight in framing
Russian national policy than all the advice of Count Lamsdorff or
M. Witte. The Romanoffs are not to be forced into peace; they
may be cajoled or diplomatically led in that direction; otherwise,
there is small chance of their arriving. The knowledge that the days
of the dynasty as autocratic rulers are numbered tends to harden the
heart of the Emperor and encourage him to go on with the war at
all costs. This brief survey of the conditions existing in Russia is
necessary to enable one to gain some adequate idea of the obstacles
in the way of peace.
The battle of the Japan Sea afforded an opportunity for inter
national action, and formed the pretext for President Roosevelt to
address a note to the two combatants urging upon them the ad
visability of a cessation of hostilities, and the appointment of pleni
potentiaries to discuss terms of peace. This humane action on the
part of the President has won him many praises, some of them
deserved. But to trace the origin of these peace proposals is to see
that the credit is not due so much to the President of the United
States as to those who induced him to speak. It is perfectly certain
that he had very definite guarantees before he took upon himself
a task which might otherwise have lowered his prestige at a moment
when home affairs demand he should hold a maximum amount of
consideration. To ascribe to Roosevelt all the credit of the proposals
is like assuming that the voice which issues from the gramophone
is everything. The unique position of irresponsibility in international
affairs occupied by the United States marked out the President as
the most effective mouth-piece for international opinion.
The reason for the peace movement is easily found. It is because
of the growth of the “ German Peril,” or rather the “ Kaiser Peril.”
Europe and the world is menaced by the ambitions, untrammelled by
morality, of an able man, brought up on Bismarckian ideas, whose
genius makes him intensely erratic. Russia’s preoccupation in the
Ear East has given to the German Emperor an unusual opportunity
to demonstrate his power. The absence of Russian troops on
Germany’s Eastern frontier has enabled the Kaiser to turn his whole
attention to the West. Morocco afforded him an opportunity to
throw a stone into the new entente of Western Europe, which has
for object the isolation of Germany. Adequate grounds for inter
ference were no more necessary than they were to the English kings
when they claimed the throne of France. Disregard of a fait ac
compli, formerly acquiesced in, enabled the German Emperor to
effectually frighten France and cause much disturbance in Downing
Street. Lord Lansdowne saw the whole fabric of his diplomatic
campaign threatened with destruction, and took immediate steps to
co-operate with France to check the German aggression. The peace
proposals of President Roosevelt are the direct outcome of Lord
Lansdowne’s action. To quote the able correspondent of the Times
in Paris:—“ The equilibrium of Europe is disturbed, and no Power