The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-07-26
WHAT THE JAPANESE ARE AFTER

in the present war, so far as the seizure
Of land is concerned, is becoming APP
parent from recent developments in
Manchuria.
Early in the invasion of Manchuria,
especially after the crossing of the
Yalu, there was much talk of the
japanese moving on to Mukden and
even to Hardin. But this was wild talk.
Conservative observers could not be-
lieve that the japanese would under
take campaign or series of campaigns
that would require such tremendous
armies, such widespread operations and
such enormous expenses in war for so
much territory against a power SO great
as Russia. On the contrary, the con-
sentative believed the Japanese would
push out to some good line of natural
defenses sufficiently far north of Port
Arthur, and there establish line of de-
Tense across the Liao-tung peninsula
and make their stand against the Slavs
leaving the latter to take the offensive
thereafter, on the theory that such a
position would more than offset the
Russian advantage in numbers, and
therefore put the Japanese on more
than an equal footing because of their
nearness to their home bases of sup
plies and men, and ultima tely give the
Arthur and the control of the Yellow
sea together with Korea.
This seems to be just what the Jap
anese are doing. Having taken the
Yalu, their armies moved on TO the
range of mountains through which the
gateways are the Ia, the Molten and
the Fen-shui passes. 1t was predicted
that having captured these passes,
they would press on to strike Kuro-
patkin's left flank or to cut off his base
at Mukden. Instead, however, they
seem to have stopped the advance
with the seizure of this range of noun
tainS extending clear across the penin-
sula, and devoted their attention to
making secure a Gordon across the
peninsula. This seems to have been
completed by the junction of the wings
of Nodzu's and Okus armies and by the
capture of Yin-kow, the port of Niu-
chang, giving control of the Lao
river.
There is a big dip in the line toward
Port Arthur at Ia tchee- kiaO, taken by
the Japs yesterday. Whether this is
due to the topography of the country
or to the fact that the Russians got
cannot be guessed from maps at hand.
But even if kurOpatkin has an advant-
age in being south of the line of de-
Tense the japanese Seek to establish, it
would be unsafe for him to move much
farther with the constant menace of
the Japanese on his TANKS in COM
handing positions, for the Japanese,
being in control of Yin-kow and the
Lioa river, could strike on the Russian
right as we'll as on the left from the
mountains.
This theory of the situation is fur
Their borne out by the fact that the
japanese have been carefully entrench-
ing in front of kuropatkin, apparently
making the weakest point in their
chain as strong as possible.
This plan of war would account for
the fact that the Japanese nave been so
deliberate about forcing the fighting at
Port Arthur. 1t would be good policy
about the fall of the fortress, but if the
investing army is needed to the north
ward, matters could be forced there
and the army drawn off to support the
line in the north.
Such a plan would mean the shutting
out of Russia from the Yellow sea- the
control of that sea and it's ports. and
also of Korea by the japanese and
an end of the bears menace to Japan
the great object the Japanese had
in undertaking the war. 1t would
mean, too tremendous problem for
Russia if she should persist in an at
tempt to recover what she has already
lost