Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-12-20
FORT ARTHUR MASSACRE.


The dispatch from James Creelman,
the New York Worlds correspondent
with the japanese army which esp.
tured Port Arthur, has rather
"chestnu.ty" ring with regard 10 the
sensational statements about "buloher-
ing the unarmed aud unresiating In
habliants" "trampllng upon civiliza'
lon," "relapsing into a british state"
etc. Tho correspondent gives long
and thrilling account Of the battle, In
which he speaks Of the gallant struggle
Of the contending forces, and especially
notes heroic work by the Chinese.
Then no sums it al up by snyi1g; 81
am satisfied not more than 100 China.
men were killed In fair battle at Port
Arthur,and that at least Z, 900 unatmod
men were put TO DEATH" The Japa.
nese loss Is placed by him vt 300
fifty killed anu the rest wounded.
Figuring II all up there was less than
R2,5OJ loss on both sides In the san.
culinary fight dcsoribed,o which mum.
Der only l5j were slain Ia the terrific
artillery duel, the desperate charges,
fierce hand 10 hand contests, oEplo-
sion OF stored shells, tho "conlinuous
volleys" which "toro gaps IN the
ranks" the 1nal scaling Of the ram.
parts, "shooiing AMI bayoueting the
flying garrison, and the pur'ult which
followed. Measuring the uirhr by the
figures given OF ioaBos both Ia the
fighting and the subsequent mhssaoto,
the conclusion must be reached that
the correspondence story Is not alto
gether consistent In lie comparisons.
Besides this, It furnishes nothing
that was not told In the earlier accounts
oftno battle. II was stated then that
the japanese had committed excuses;
having become transported with rage
ut tho mutation Of thelr comrades by
the enemy, they broke through oil
restraints;" and being "exasperated by
wholesale attempts at escape Of soldiers
disguised as citizens, they iuh cted
vengeance without discrimination"
All this the mikaio's representatives
admitted. IL was also stated that IA O !
japanese had taken nearly 400 prls.
onors. which were to be sent TO Toxic |
information which the Croelman |
dispatch omlts.
IL is not 90 DO wondered ut |
that japanese officials Mt Hiroshima
are much wrought up over the later
dispatch, and Insist that tho wholesale
accusations Of bTutiehness anu barbar.
ism made by the World correspondent
are untrue. BY comparison with
European nations engaged In warfare,
Il does not seem that either Of the two
now In armed conflict needs
10 be berAled TO any great extent. War
Is british al best, and victorious
European armies ~ well as Aslatlcs
and others commit excuses. As even
the World correspondent suggests, had
Port Arthur boon occupied by
Europeans II woIld have cost
The japanese 1000 men; and
II must have cost
The other side more, II defeated a.
The Chinese were, no that n so-called
''iair battle" would not have resulted
In smaller loss Of life than this one
did, only there might have been n
larger number OF slain on tho japanese
eide.
That the Port Arthur affair was
attended by considerable "butohery" Is
true; but that there Ia any occasion for
up furofe against the
japanese over H. by representatives OF
the civilized nations, on the ground Of
it, barbarlsm, will be doubted by
great many people. The latter are
largely possessed OF the idea that
warfare" should remove the
beam out OF IT, own eye before those
who engage In 1t work themselves into
a frenzy over the mote In the heather
optic.