The evening times., 1900-07-14
Tne Chinese War


To sll appearance the Administration in
making itself as comfortable over the dss-
perate plight Of Waller and his men in
Tientsin as il did over that Of Ccnqer,
Squiers their families. guests, and guards
while they were battling hopelessly aga ust
an army of Chinese fends in Pekin Per-
haps the cases are different in one re pect.
The legation people might possibly have
been saved if there had been a brigade in
stead OF squad OF American troops 10
Join Vice Admiral SeymOur's relief col
umn. II may be doubted if any force We
could land within the next two we ks
would be strong enough TO make an i'm
preston on the situation at Tientsin, if Il
were before that place today All we can
hope is that the first division Of the Japan
ese expeditiOnary army is ashore by this
time and marching to the rescue of the e.
leaguered internatiOnals under Seymour
Otherwise ii can hardly be many days be-
fore his power of resistance will be *
hausted. and his little band overwhelmed
and massacred.
We are afraid that our authorities are
blind to the desperateness of the condi-
tions in Tientsin. and to what would re-
suit from a defeat OF the civilized troops
now defending il. Otherwise it is difficult
to understand why the President should abb
sent himself from his post Of duty during
such crisis The dispatches clearly show
that the Chinese artillery is in full com
mand Of the foreign quarter. and that the
Chinese forces are daily gaining ground
from the internationaIs. whose fighting
chances must quickly disappear with their
enforced concentration In a small space ex-
posed TO the enemy's gun fire on all sides
Indeed, as far as We can learn from the re-
parts of English correspondents on the
ground there is constant danger OF ami
bilatiOn through a rush Of Chinese en-
nasse. which has been only averted thus
Tar 10y the excellent scouting of the Cos
sacks. But there is q limit to human en-
durance. Ten thousand soldiers have been
fighting night and day for ten days. against
4 well organized and well directed force Of
ten times their number.
There is ground for apprehension that
the siege OF Ladysmith is 70 be repeated
in China 1t is probable that by this time
vigorous and effective opposition 10 the
advance of a relieving force moving up
from Take. He doubtless mas empIaced
heavy guns to command the approaches
from the south, and detached a consider
able force of infantry 10 support them.
and to hGrass the fianks of the interna-
tionals. 1t would appear impracticable for
any body OF less than twenty thousand
men to attempt the Chinese lines What
increases the danger OF the situation is
that, according to the news today. the
Pei-HO River below TIentsin is no longer
nIvigable, ewing to its water sources
having been diverted or cut of in the Pc
kin region.
All signs point to an immediate future OF
war in China OF a character that the world
has not expected and To- which none OF
the civilized powers, Japan perhaps ex-
cepted. has been prepared. We may as
well accept the truth that the Chinese
Government is deliberately entering upon a
war against the rest Of the world. and is
confident OF success The Chinese Army is
not now 70 DC despised. whatever NAV have
been its deficiencies five years ago. We
find II supplied with well-drilled infantry.
equipped with every sort CT modern artil-
lery in profusiOn. which it is evident is
being served with effect and precision by
trained artlllerists. The tactical move
ments and dispositions, at Tientsin show
that il contains generals who are somttA pg
more than mere barbarian leaders. Alto
gether civilization has the job OF histor-,
on its hands. and the United States will
have TO accept and shoulder its share OF
the burden whether il wishes to or aot.
In these circumstances it is crime for
the Mckinley Administration to daily lcng
er with the situation. The President aud
his advisers may hug the fction that "a
state Of war" does not exist batwcen this
country and China and thus satisfy them
selves thst they can palter through tn.
trouble, with the aid of a brigade o. Tegu--
lars and few hundred marine. witbou.
calling upon the war-makins power If the