The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1900-11-04
ALLIED FORCES IN CHINA
Troops of the Various Nations
Compared.
JAPANESE THE IDEAL SOLDIERS.


EnRIand's Indian Troops.
Russia and Japan each have more
troops in Peking and north China than
any of the other powers. 1t is believed
that the official reports Of those two
countries as to the number Of soldiers
each actually has in north China Is
misleading and that they have many
more troops here than they desire to
have known, writes the Peking corre-
spondent of the New York Commercial
Advertiser under the date Of Sept. 1.
There is a growing feeling among
American and British officers that an
unexpected friendliness is developing
between the Russian and japanese Of
ficers. Certain it is that Japan has set
herself out to demonstrate to the world
her soldierly qualities, and in that she
has made a more favorable impression
than any other nation. In this most
cosmopolitan military community the
world has ever seen Japan's army In
the admiERtion of every officer and ev-
cry civilian regardless of nationality.
OF all the soldiers on the march to
Peking the japanese, both officers and
soldiers, stood the heat and the depri-
vations far better than any other army.
The American and British soldiers
were strewn all along the route, ex-
hausted. The Japanese soldier needs
only a bit of rice for subsistence. He
will wade through the mud in his
white uniform, yet somehow he soon
appears with the soiled clothes as neat
and clean as can be. He never COM
plains. He is satisfied with his food
and his treatment. Poor fellow, his
pay is only 8 yen ($1.5W a month. and
he receives personally only one-third
of that, the balance going to his fam
fly. He never fails to salute, whether
he is on duty or not, the officer of any
army. He even salutes civilians after
the military fashion, and he does it so
gracefully. The discipline of the jap
anese army approaches perfection more
nearly than that of any other army in
China.
The Russian soldier has all the ap-
pearance of the brute, and he is a
brute. He has committed outrages
against helpless Chinese women, has
made helpless coolies pay money or be
shot, has shot them down for sport
and has roared with laughter at the
performance. The Russian soldier is
ignorant and cowardly. OF the SOL
diers of all the great powers the Rus
sian enlisted man is the least manly
and the least soldierly. At the siege
of Tien-tsin the Russians were the
first to talk about retreating when the
fire from the Chinese was the hottest,
regardless Of what such action might
mean for the other allies. The British
came to the Russians support and saw
ed them from a disgraceful break
down.
The unfavorable appearance put up
by the rank and file Of the Russian
army is a disappointment. Their uni
forms and caps were white once, but
they are the color Of the filth In the
place IN which you happen to see them.
Of the greatest Of military powers whose
chief pride Is In its strength at arms.
The Russian is the poorest fed and the
poorest paid soldier in China. There
is a wider gulf between officer and
private in the Russian army than in
any other. The officers are well paid
and live on the best They have no
thought and no care for the welfare Of
the men. Is It any wonder, then, that
the latter are lacking in soldierly quail
ties? The Russian officers have a sur
felt of politeness, of pomp and of cere-
mony. The music of their army bands
is delightful.
One would not expect the French
soldiers to be slovenly and careless
looking, but they are. Their uniform
here is made of blue ducking for sum-
mer wear. They wear a sort of turban
hat. Their general appearance, when
compared with that of the Germans or
the British, is against them. At drill
they show up much better than the
Russians. They are better fed and
clothed than the Russians, but the
American soldier would howl loud
If he were compelled to eat French
army rations. The French soldier
is excitable and uncertain in ac-
tion- He Is destructive for de-
struction's sake. The French off,
GERS live well and fraternize with the
Russian officers. Every Russian officer
speaks French, and almost every
French officer speaks little Russian.
The German army is comprised Of
soldiers. In parade they show up to
wonderful advantage. They are called
awkward and crude by some officers
They may hook so as they march along
in their thick boots with heavy step.
but in reality they are members Of the
best disciplined army represented
here. Their power of endurance is
great, as has been shown in their long
marches to Peking, regiment at a
time. They have stood the heat bet
ter than the Americans, the British, the
Russians or the French. The German
soldiers have substantial food and may
be said to- be well clothed. They are
well behaved and orderly
The Italians have had only a few
marines b re until recently, but now