The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-10

Importance Is none the less because II may
not be celebrated.
When the chancelIery has been decipher-
ing cablegrams far into the night the con-
tents of the messages have dealt with one
OF the great crises OF the worlds history.
Any one who believes in a trained dipo-
matte service in place OF hit-and-miss APP
pointments of inexperienced men finds in
our conduct of affairs here the capstone of
MS arguments. Mr.. Griscoms experience
as attache and charge d'affaires ia other
lands has told. lie has made a great name
In Japan Associated with him is Hunting
ton Wilson, who has been seven years 40
TINS post One may well ask ii Mr. Wilson
is TO remain first secretary forever. IN he
Is never to get his promotion and transfer.
II ms country Is never 10 make broader use
of his training.
Ever. Japan is the land of paradoxes De
spite their delicate art. their tea cere-
monies and their paper houses the Japa-
hese are prouder of their viriity than OF
any other quality. From the daimiOs anu
lhelr Iollowers IN armor who dash across
screens and kakemOnOs, you might think
mat the irst requirement OF high command
was TO lead a charge. Yet the great SOL
9 4s are desk soldiers and at this moment
Japan's greatest sailor is not at sea
Ito Is the Dewey of Japan. He won the
Dattle OF the Ialu, the only naval battle ~
modern times that was severely fought GA
DOth sides In fact, he is more than a
Dewey; he is the Japanese Nelson, Dewey
begins with the Yalu. The two great mil
ltary heroes are Field Marshals Oyama ana
1amagata Ito Is the chief OF the Board
OF Naval Command. Oyama is the chief a.
the army's general staff. In the forthcom-
ing campaign II Is unlikely that Ito viii go
10 sea and Oyama may not take the field.
These master minds of grand strategy are
expected TO remain in Toxic, where an the
telegraph lines focus
Yet Ito is not old man. He is as Wig
orous as he was in the day OF his victory.
In England or America the people would
demand that he be abOardshiD In Japan
there is no such call. The Mikado thinks
in hon
bridge. Reason seems on the side of that
policy in the age when messages hy
through the air as well over wire. and
either a collier or a squadron is moved by
pressing button at the Admiralty. Ad-
mlral Togo, the fighting commander Of the
fleet, and Vice Chief Of STAFF General Baron
hodama are the two men whom Japan
nolds directly responsible for victory by
lana ana sea. Togo Is the Wainwright "
the Chlno-Japanese war, which he began
by sinking a Chinese transport, On ne
principle that il is best to night first and
parley afterward. The work which be- s
10 do Is the work that he has fully exc
pected 10 do for fiVe years. This imperial
government practices the policy OF selection
in both army and navy. With the nations
life at stake favoritism, it is said. las
counted for little.
No attachc or correspondent may see
either Togo or his ships at this time -
Tar as we know of their actually. thee
might be z phantom fleet in a phantom
harbor, whose movements will be- as mts-
FERROUS as those of the Flying DutchnaA.
1pu VIII KNOW All the details NiitA "~
nave won d victory, said a JaI4nt-e
Then you may go aboard, perhaps. biL
If you are defeated2' l suggested. Then
there viii be no feet" was the acoAie
answer
At least. we know with orr own eyes tlat
the general staff is a reality. The Dullo.As
Itself Is as unpretentiOus as a barracNs-
The doors are open, and there IS 20 mr. ~
the hall The ola attendants VINO sll ~
European chairs the threshold ot me
military power OF Japan call for the lhltl
al - nf hf
you to the typical waiting room There YOU
await the aid-de-camp. who takes y9h ~
the general-to the Won MOltke Of Japan.
kodama has no high roll-toD desk. or l-Hs
plush carpets under ms feet, or big ltaihtl
chair to compass his official dignity in COM
fort and ease Instead or having been TOT
years the source from which a great army
had been directed, his Office seems more lse
the temporary headquarters occupied py PC
commanding general IN the field They ~
that Won Moltke had 80 far complete nls
work on the eve Of the war with fFdA.1
that all there was left 10 do was % ula@
a paper from "A pigeon-hole. There W.
few pigeon-hOles in front of Baron no
dana, and few papers in them. III 49,
ute he could stuff all his documents De ~
pocket. his aid-de-camp could seize
maps and the general might occupy ny
other room and be equally AZ home ~.
possibly il was not his real office. possio.s
he used the room only 10 receive Iotes-
visitors.
Kodama has been called the Roosevelt p
japan. every country has is hooe.'
HONl EntfEA runs ltOil the AAA-Nt
the little mani say little. because hesll
foreigners all japanese seem small / ca.-
imagine him being still for Ions az .-
or ever hesitating on the brink or oecls.---
He is another comparatively gouns W
All the working heads IN this cam
are in early middle age. The Japanese L-.
not waited war 10 eliminate their 800
animated colonies and generals. ho4ailt
vigor is that OF thirty-hve. he hls
same advantage Of physique that speis
durance in every Japanese soldier, hs
compact and sturdy. The man VINO Iael-s
Formosa: the man who had 20 resign -
minister OF because ne was infai--.tr
in the staff is a soldier OF many parts h
has n quick humor and boyish lnt,,...t-s
IN events at large. His responsia ll.'ih -
have not sat so heavily upon him tha' -
could not laugh and chat lightly Over -
possibilities OF winter on the other s4"-
the Korean straits
< mn Ne On every