The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-09-01
MAGNIFICENT HERolsM

lSENi HEhOISM
The war between Russia and Japan
in the far East carries one back to the
great engagements of old times, many
OF them fought out on Asiatic soil,
rather than to the battles of modern
warfare. Save for the enormous
masses of men that were gathered
under the great generals of the past,
the fighting is of much the same quail
1ty. 1t is desperate combat, yielding
nothing to the point of a hand to hand
encounter, and personal prowess and
the spirit Of the multitude count for
more than military science and plans
of strategy. ....
The fighting that is now going on
may or may not be fthe decisive bat
tie of the war;" Of which we have
heard SO much. Nobody on this con-
tinent is in a position to Judge of that.
The secrets Of the Japanese war Office
are well kept; and this may be the
crucial point of the whole encounter.
or 1t may be but part of an even
larger scheme yet to be developed.
What we do know is that japan and
Russia, after making feints for a long
time like two cautious wrestlers. have
been engaged now for weeks and
months in death grapple that fairly
startles mankind.
The details of the fighting every
where exhibit the most desperate de-
termination, and a bravery which
the most developed modern nation
might be proud. Both in the engage.
ment with Kuropatkin and in the de-
tense of Port Arthur it has settled
down to mere trial OF brute force
animated by a perfectly unyielding
spirit. There has been no such thing
thought of as surrender or giving way
on either side. When military tactics
required the abandonment of a posi-
ton it has been given UP reluctantly
and sullenly. In obedience to dis
c1piine soldiers have moved out of the
trenches, showing plainly that they
would have preferred to stay there
and die had their commanders permit
ted.
In all the assaults upon the Russian
fortlhcatlons at Port Arthur the same
terrific fighting quality has been dis
played. Whatever might be the result
of the day, it was a foregone concIu-
sion that it would not be effected
through cowardice, by a retreat that
had not been ordered or by ANYTHING
approaching rout. Men moved for
ward as cheerfully to inevitable death
as if they were going @ an entertain
ment. When ranks Of them were
moved down by machine guns. the
next rank stepped gayly over their
bodies. When, on the other hand. the
enemy succeeded in making an en-
trance into any position, one party or
the other retained it's stand until
every man was cut down.
There has been nothing like this in
recent times. We have become accus.
toned, especially since the Franco
RUSSIAN war. to regard war as a
game Of chess. 1t was to be deter
mined by skillfully executed moves in
conformity with a general plan all
leading up to result that must be ac-
cepted. When superior genius demon-
strated itself. the vanquished thought
itself entitled to submit with a good
grace as having been outgeneraled.
When one player was able to announce
"checkmate in six moves" the other
player never dreamed Of keeping up
the hopeless fight until his pieces had
been swept from the board.
Russia and Japan do not understand
or care for that sort of fighting. Each
side means to win Or die, very literally.
Such war is primitive, ami fairly
shocks our modern traditions. After
all. however, it is the only respectable
kind of war there is If a nation ac-
cepts the gauge of battle. it can be
done sensibly only when it is deter
mined to win or to perish.
Japan and Russia are teaching the
rest of the world two great lessons.
One is that each is the equal inSrace
bravery and in inherent fighting quail
tiles Of any people on the face of4the
earth. The other is that war has not
been essentially changed by modern
refinements, but is exactly what it was
and what it must remain until war has
been abolished. -
Gen. Stoessels disposition to stick is