Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-19
Among the many virtues with which man

Among the many virtues with which man
Is best. none can claim much. If any. greater
altitude than love of country. and there
are times when patriotism must be SUI
preme or the ma ton in which 1t Is not
will surely fall. People who have watched
closely the conflict between China and
Japan must have seen ere this that the
disparity in the fighting forces of the two
countries is not mel ely one of training or
equipment. The differences are by no
means obscure. and TO the student must
surely be interesting. In Japan there is
active public interest in the war and
widespre cad desire on the part of the Japa-
nese individual to encourage and partici-
pate; in China there appears to be an utter
lack of enthusiasm. while most of the WIS.,
tble effort Is to avoid military service.
That there is SO much of dissimilarity be-
tween the opposing forces Is by no means
remarkable to men and women who have
any solid information as to the histories of
the two countries. Japan Is. in every sense
Of the word. a nation; China Is but an ag-
gregati ton Of Monaghan tribes. ruled by a
Tartar dynasty with which most of the
subdivisions of the empire would delight to
be at war. Not at any time is China at
peace with itself; discomfort with the ruling
forces Is continually made manifest by up
risings In one portion or another Of the
vast territory over which an unpopular
monarch r,igns with barbaric severity.
When these things are borne in mind. and
when weight is also given the unquestionable
fact that the average of Intelligence is
much lower in China than in Japan. then
the news that victory Is mostly with the
Japanese ceases to be surprising. In the
land Of the Mikado the war spirit has
oh in ha lin nv
co,rsc of events might not have been
brought about in many years. Several Of the
dividing lines by which the population was
divided into classes he We been almost en-
tirely eliminated, and as the struggle con-
tinues the viping out of social distinctions
proceeds with extraordinary rapidity-the
moving cause being loyalty the like OF
which rarely appears. 1t is in the history
Of warfare that troops have gone forth to
battle inspired to deeds Of daring by the
fearful smiles of women and the hOarse
plaudits Of their fellow men. but 1t may
fairly be questioned II there were ever
more genuine demonstrations than those
through which japanese soldiers have
marched to the front; at times 1t has been
necessary for the authorities to forbid the
excited popuace carrying into effect some
of the hospitable plans by which the SOL
those who have not as yet been permitted
to fight. Up to this time only soldiers Of
the regular army have done such slaughter
Ing as seemed to be necessary, but the jap
anese government could speedily put into
the field heavy reinforcements of volun-
teers who are capable of doing great ex-
ecution. The authorities have endeavored
to assure the people that none of the voun-
teer forces which have been organized are
likely to be needed, but the work of prep
ration goes right along, nevertheless, and
should Japan suddenly find itself confronted
by a great Chinese army II will have an
ample supply of frst-class material with
which to deprive Ii Hung Chang of a few
more garments and decorations. Fears
have been expressed that Japan would not
be financially able to carry on the strife for
any considerable period but the manner in
which the rich and the poor-aII sorts and
conditions Of Japanese-are contributing to
the war fund makes II evident that there
will be no immediate embarrassment as to
the money phase of the situation. That
Japan will win is the earnest hope of every
true friend of civilization. The fight now
on Is between darkness and light, between
superstition and intelligence, between saw
age hirelings and thinking patriots. Surely
ignorance shall not prevail.