Arizona republican., 1903-11-26


 the Russians will win, by sheer force
 of overwhelming numbers. But, in his
 Judgment "the struggle will be nearer demonstrating what happens when the
 irresistible force meets the immovable object than anything that has occurred in a long time. In the end weight may
 tell and Russia win, but it will be only
 after some desperate and spectacular fighting, in which il is by no means
 sure that the Russians will have all
 the advantage. Behind entrenchments
 there is not much choice between
 them. In the open field the Japanese
 should be victorious, other things be-
 ing equal. because of their astonishing
 Russians very much as a cooper in the
 old adage went around his barrel. But
 after that, what? Admira tion of the
 Japanese Is unavoidable for one who
 has seen them in active service, but one who has seen the Russians will
 never forget the impression of mass they give. Contemplation of a struggle
 between the two always brings up
 picture of a small man trying to stop a great stone frCm rolling down hill by getting in front of it. He may check it at the start, but it gathers momen- tum as his strength wears out, and will overthrow him at last and crush him."
 However, Mir Davis does not lose of Ca ho Tar, sia are almost evenly matched In naval strength, and he admits that Japan may win through brilliant victories on the sea, and he quotes a "well-known military observer" who has said in speaking of war between the two countries that the foundation of the strategical future will be the command of the sea- MT. Davis thinks that In that brief sentence lies the key to the struggle. To save herself, Japan realizes it better than the Japanese, and their new navy has been built to insure them the victory. Another force in Japan's favor is that her people are animated by a patriotism which bord- CTS on fanaticism, and which counts it a privilege to make any sacrifice for the national honor. The Russian autocratic government will meet a gov ernment enthusiastically supported by every citizen, from prince to ricksha coolie. Japan is poor, but such peo- ple engaged in such a war will count nothing as hardship or deprivation which furnishes means to the common end. And there are certain advantages compact and we'll within herself. Her population of 46.OOO, 900 can support no such army as that of her antagonist, but what there is of it is in position to be used suddenly and to strike l swiftly.
 MT. Davis makes an interesting com parison of the Russian and Japanese soldiers. As to the Russian If it is his time to lose his life he will lose it. | and there is little use in trying to save it. He might as well go to one place ] as another, and it makes no difference | he goes into a fight or keeps | out os it. He travels the line of least | resistance, and from this develops a | ence. That sort of man makes a dan gerous fighting machine"
 With all these good qualities, how ever. it Is pointed out, there are oth- CTS not so attractive. Big. strong, pa tient of toll and hardship. he is also clumsy, stupid and very slow-a seri- ous fault in fighting men. The 1 author cites that there was a good exhibition of the Russian lack of speed the day the Pekin relief col umn marched from Mahto to Chan chia-wan. For that morning 1t had been arranged that a Russian battalion of infantry should form part of the advance guard with the Japanese whom the regular formation of the l column placed in the lead. The Japa- nese were doing their full share, but the | Russians could not or would not keep the pace. After repeatd attempts to get them to do so, Japan was obliged to ask Russia to withdraw it's men and give room to the Japanese so that | the required speed could be made. The Russians halted and formed beside the 1 read while the Japanese infantry went 1 by them on the double, and the bat teTy at trot. From that time until | the days distance had been made, 1 there was no more trouble about the | failure of the advance guard to main- tain contact with the enemy.
 It is explained that ''the Rus | sians will fight magnificently, but l for the rest they are a :awiess, slouchy, dirty lot whose | clothes seem perpetually unwashed and | whose hands are in everything not | their own. There were a dozen differ | ent breeds of fighting men in the Pekin | and among all of them I saw l instances of unprovoked cruelty and | savagery. With the others such cases were sporadic, but among the Rus sians discipline does not seem to un- |