Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-04-20
THEY HIT US HARD.
Russo-Jap Names Daily Solar PIexus'
es to American Readers.


Advocates of the universal langu-
age idea are finding plenty of mater
ial for argument in support of their
contention in the nomenclature of
the present war. Almost any man
would willinly put aside ~considera-
tions of patriotism and sacrifice his
devotion to his native tongue, pro.
vided he could, by 80 doing, rid the
public of the necessity of reading
let alone pronouncing-the names
that come to us over the wires with
each mornings story of the war II
ever the need of a universal langu.
age was apparent. 1t is now.
Before the beginning of the war
there were some of us, perhaps. who
thought we knew something about
the geographical and personal names
of Russia and Japan. Ii we ever pos
sessed that notion, we have been re-
lieved of 1t before now. Each day
has brought its surprises in the way
of the splendid esource of the con.
tending nations for the confusing mix.
ture of consonants and vowels. We
knew Irkutsk and Nagasaki and
Kamchatka and Yokohama, and we
thought We knew 1t all. But we
didn't.
First they came at us with Vladi.
vostok and Chonjau, aud before we
recovered from the shock, we receiv.
I'D oil npapnnupnad Iohioyano onl
Junipinfu. That was a soaker. II
w had any conceit left this last
broadside destroyed it completely
But the bombardment had only be.
gun.
The next days story of the wal
brought the record of the movements
of General Mishtchenko and General
Yavanten and the reports of General
Plug and Admiral Togo. An attempt
to retire from this assault with some
degree of dignity was frustrated by
the renewal of the attack. They had
only been pr~acticing with us. They
followed up with Retvizan and Aki.
tsushima and laughed at us because
we didn't know that these were the
udLuco Vi DdltleSuipS.
After a brief rest we received Pc
%tropavlovsk and Hsinmingting and
were asked how we liked them. BE,
fore we could tell whether we liked
them or not we were compelled tC
read of the doings of Mr.. Kowowshi
ka and General Kouropatkin. There
was one relief in the last message
by reason, probably. of the fact thai
he was born March II, the famous
Russian general has a Pat" in the
middle of his name. That removed
some of the curse.
Next we were told that the Rus
slams had captured and hanged Lieu
tenant Zoneloiascha and his compan
ion. Lieutenant Kaeurta. Though the
dispatch did not so state, it is prob
able that the Russians asked these
officers their names, and when they
we're told. thought they were beins
insulted. This was one act of the
Russians that was perfectly justifl
able.
When it came to reading of tn,
movements against Fort Djeywol ant
the stronghold Of Blasgovestchen, ev
en- the Welsh threw up their hands
The relative opinions of Captain Kur
kami and Lieutenant Commando
Tokenouchi were interesting If yol
didn't have to pronounce their names
but this effort destroyed all the salts
faction of the perusal.
1t wasn't so bad when we read abou
Borissof and the Askold. but what
ever pride we may have taken in pro
nouncing these names off hand wa
knocked out of us before we had rea,
three lines further. when we encouu
tered Alexandrovisky and TaihaI
chow. That was the limit and II cor
verted all Of us to the doctrine of
universal language. provided it vii
reform the nomenclature of thes
~barbarous fighters of the east.-Ans
conda Standard.