The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1904-11-12

william e. Curtis says Field Mar
ahal Oyama Considers His Assistant
one of the Worlds shrewdest strait
egists-His Arrangement For Loeat-
Ing Japanese and Russian Forces.
Everybody agrees that the genius Of
the RussO-Japanese war is General
Baron KOdama. recently assistant
chief of the general stan. and now
chief Of stat to Field Marshal oyama,
commander in chief Of the japanese
army in the field. says William h
Curtis, the Chicago Record HeFalds
correspondent writing from Tokyo.
KOdama was formerly assistant min
lister of war, then minister of the in-
terror, and Is now governor general
OF Fornosa. on leave Of absence, hay
ing been called TO Tokyo at the out
set OF the war because. while assistant
minister OF war some years ago ne
planned the campaign which the Japa-
nese armies are conducting in Man
churia. After serving in Tokyo for six
months and carrying out his plans con
corning the mobilization and transpor-
tAtion of troops, he was sent To the
front about the first Of July.
General Baron Kodama is about fifty
years old, aud descendant Of sa-
mural or knight of feudal times. He Is
therefore of good lighting stock, and he
has made Il brilliant record as sol
der. bearing honorable wounds re-
ceived in Korea some years ago, where
he was shot through both shoulders
For months he lay In plaster Of paris
mold, unable to move a muscle OF the
upper portion OF his body. His patience
and courage have been talked about
ever since His left arm is helpless.
Otherwise he is in perfect health and
is the hardest worked man in Japan.
He has spent from sixteen TO eighteen
hours a day at the general stan build
ing. He has read every report that
has been received and every dispatch
that has been sent from Tokyo con.
corning the army in the field, and has
dictated most OF the orders from the
war department at Tokyo to the com
manders In the field Although Field
Marshal Oyama is in good health ana
his mental vigor is unImpaired, he re
fers everything to his assistant be
cause he recognizes his superior abil
tty and considers him the shrewdest o
one of the shrewdest strategists in tn,
world today.
Baron KOdama looks more like
Frenehman than u japanese. Excep
his diminutlye size. he IS entirely IN
japanese in appearance. He is SINAI
and slight weighing not more thai
40 pounds His scanty hair is irO
gray. His mustache and gOatee, whicI
he wears in the French style, are a
most white. His skin is tanned lIk
leather from great exposure and ha
the weatherbeaten appearance notice
able in sailors and old cdmpaigner'
His eyes are keen, but kindly, an
their color Is blue He has a qulcl
nervous manner and a hearty laugh
He speaks no English or French. bU
reads the latter language imperfect.
Lieutenant Tanaka, an aid-de-caml
who speaks both English and Frenc
fuently, Is always at his side to il
terpret conversations No reports al
given out without the approval Of &
dana In fact, he IS Japan as far 8
the army is concerned
He has an assistant OF his own kin
in Major General Fukushima, man {
great ability, energy and learning
whom many consider the equal Of b
chief. Fukushima has ridden from OF
end of ManChuria to the other. II
knows every road and stream, ever
mountain and valley, every town an
bar,Int con chart pf ri
country with his eyes shut.
Fukushima and Ko1ama work
one and are entirely in -sympath
Among other duties FukushIma lool
after a curious chart which hangs
KOdama's office. Tho headquarters
the general staff arr in 3 two stOl
villa, built for the residence OF 70
eigrer about twenty years ago, in
outside the walls hat ancI5se the pa
OF The imperial palace Within ever
thing IS severely simple.
kodamas room f. the pi4iuest Of a
Ii is uucarpete1, entirely thWt ORR
nenL, aud the only furniture is IA
dianapolis roll top desk au ordiaa
kitchen table and haIf dozen IA
bottom chairs The table ia cover
with maps aud charts. and upon {
wall Is "a rack u beautiful Japane
cabinet work divided into narrow Dit
Sits, each of which contains a piece
cardboard inscribed with J8pan'
characters. While no foreigner or o
er person uuacquainted with the J8l
nese language can appreciate tie g
nificance Of this curious arraugeue
to KOdama and FukHshaa il me-
everything. Each slip Of pastebO,
represents a regiment each line
compartments a brigade each bl,
Of lines division, and the entire r.
pg.r,Jg Far- tbs. T4r.pT,a.a arms Yrt n