Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-09-03

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 staff. and now
chief of staff to Field Marshal Oyama,
commander in chief of the japanese
army in the field says William f.
Curtis, the Chicago Record Heraid's
correspondent writing from Tokyo.
kodama was formerly assistant min
lister of war then minister of the in
terror, and is now governor general
of FOrmOsa, on leave of absence, hav-
ing been called to Tokyo at the out
set of the war because. while assistant
minister of war some years ago, lie
planned the campaign which the Japa-
nese armies are conducting iii 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. and descendant of Sa
mural or knight of feudal times. He is
has made a brilliant record as a sol
der, bearing honorable wounds re-
ceived in Korea some years ago, where
lie 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 i'll Japan.
He has spent from sixteen to eighteen
hours a day at the general staff 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 and
his mental Vigor is unimpaired, he re-
ferS everything to his assistant be-
cause he recognizes his superior abil-
fly and considers him the shrewdest or
one Of the shrewdest strategists in the
world today.
Baron KOdama looks more like n
Frenchman than Japanese. Except
his diminutive size, he is entirely un-
Japanese in appearance. He is small
and slight, weighing not more than
120 pounds. His scanty hair is iron
gray. His mustache and goatee. which
he wears in the French style. are al
most white His skin is tanned like
leather from great exposure and has
the weatherbeaten appearance notice
a p in MI icrnn
His eyes are keen, but kindly, and
their color is blue He has quick,
nervous manner and Il hearty laugh
He speaks no English or French, but
reads the latter language imperfectly.
Lieutenant Tanaka an aid-de-camp,
who speaks both English and French
fuently, is always at his side TO in
terpret conversations. No reports are
given out without the approval of 10
dana. In fact, he is Japan as far as
the army Is concerned.
He has an assistant of his own kind
in Major General Fukushima, 4 man of
great ability, energy and learning,
whom many consider the equal of his
chief. Fukushima has ridden from one
end of Manchuria to the other. He
knows every road and stream. every
mountain and valley, every town and
hamlet and can make 4 chart of the
country with his eyes shut
FukuShima and Kodama work as
one and are entirely in sympathy
Among other duties Fukushima looks
after IL curious chart which hangs in
kodama'S office. The headquarters of
the general staff are in n two story
villa. built for the residence OF n for
eigner about twenty years ago. just
outside the walls that incloSe the park
of the imperial palace. Within every
thing is severely simple.
Nodama'S room is the plaineSt Of all.
II is uncarreted. entirely without orna-
ment and the only furniture is an In
dianapoliS roll top desk. an ordinary
kitchen table and half a dozen hard
bottom chairs. The table is covered
with maps and charts, and upon the
wall is Il rack of beautiful Japanese
cabinet work divided into narrow little
Sits. each of which contains a piece of
cardboard inscribed with Japanese
characters. While no foreigner or 9TH
or person unacquainted with the Japa-
nese language can appreciate the sig
niticance OF this curious arrangement,
10 hodana and Fukushima il means
everything. Each slip of pasteboard
represents Il regiment. each line OF
compartments n brigade. each block
or lines Il division. and the entire rack
stands for the Japanese army In Man
churia- over the wires every morning
come reports OF the location and fight
ing strength OF the different regiments,
and the little strips of cardboard in
this curious arrangement are changed
accordingly. so that by a single glance
Baron kodama can see what troops
are available and where they are locat-
ed.
In a drawer of the table is another
chart. not visible TO the ordinary Wis
itor. unop which is kept as accurately