The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-02-11
THURSDAY, FEB. II, 1904.
plscLAlMINe RESPONSIBILITY.

In every row the desire of each party
is to throw responsibility for the begin
ming of trouble upon the other. The
war between Russia and Japan is no
exception. Each has to justify itself,
if possible, in the eyes of the powers.
Each is more afraid of some outside
alliance in aid of the other than it is of
the enemy himself. Hence these state
ments may be regarded less as a bid
for sympathy than as preventive Of
intervention.
There is a certain amount of fact be-
hind the professions Of both powers
as given to the public. Japan is I'M
doubtedly fighting for national exist
ence. She would certainly have avoid
ed this conflict if she could. She was
justified in thinking that every days
delay only increased her disadvantages
without in the least preventing the in
evitable. Russia's advance has been as
steady and resistless as the flow of the
tides. There was no more reason to
think that it would be interrupted
Her fixed purpose is to establish her
power either directly or indirectly,
over the whole north of Asia to the
Pacific ocean, including not only Man
churia, but the remainder of China and
Korea. Her dilatory tactics were
adopted simply to cloak her designs,
and to place Japan in a position of dis
advantage before the world and of mil
itary inferiority when the final clash
should come.
Russia on her side has little more to
rest upon than the allegation that ia
pan has violated the usages of nations
by making an armed assault prior to
any declaration of war. This fault is
technical, rather than real. 1t is true
that international law contemplates
and requires a formal declaration be-
fore hostilities are opened Everybody
knows, however, that war actually ex-
listed two or three days before a gun
was fired Every careful observer has
known for at least three months that
it would surely come.
Japan feels that she has been driven
into a corner where she must fight
for her life, and has had ample
reason to think that If Russia saw
an opportunity to deliver with safety
telling blow upon an unsuspectfng
adversary she would not be in the least
restrained by the absence of a formal
declaration. Japan has done what she
believed would be done to her. When
passions are heated and blood is ready
to flow, the niceties of international
regulations are apt to be as little con-
sldered as are the courtesies common
between gentlemen when two individ
uals get to the point of fisticuffs.
The sympathies of the world will not
be decided, or to any degree affected.
by the professions which these partfes
now make with the obvious view Of
saving their regulations. Those sym-
pathies will rest upon an entirely diff
ferent basis. The friends of japan will
uphold her course and her cause he
cause they believe that she is on. the
defensive and must fight or suffer a
fate like that of Russian Poland and Of
Finland. The friends of Russia will
think that it is for the advantage of
the world at large that her great prof.
ects on the Pacific should not be inter-
rupted, and will sustain a civilized and
Christian nation of its own blood. as
against pagan people of alien race.
however specifically advanced in
modern arts
Each faction will have some Justice
In its claim, as something of fact can
be extracted from the procIamations
OF both Japan and Russia. These