Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-10
All Except Women and In
valids Are Soldiers.
SERVE LONG TERMS
ARMY IS PART OF THE PEOPLE
PAY SMALL.
Enlisted Man Gets Forty-Fve Cents
Per Month, but High Stand,
ard is Maintained.
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star and
Chicago Record Herald.
KYOTO, July 10. 1904
There are many good reasons to account
for the superiority Of the Japanese soldier.
as developed in Manchuria. and 1t would
have been very strange had he not shown
the character, courage, endurance ana de-
termination that have distinguished him In
this war. Military experts who have had
an opportunity of observation and expe-
rience In the field say that he Is the best
soldier In the world. He had very little
chance to show what he was good Tor In
the war Of 1895 with China, because he met
with so little resistance. but among the al
lied forces that marched to the relief OF
Picking in 1900 the Japanese detachment, by
their unanimous verdict, marched the fast
est, fought the best. showed the highest de-
gree of efficiency and the most perfect dis
cipline. By common consent they were
given the first place. and thus far in the
war with Russia they have justified the eX-
pectatons of their admirers.
More than in any other nation is the
army part of the people OF Japan, ana the
people part of the army. 1t is truly an
army of citizens. because. when he reaches
the age of twenty years. every able-bodled
young man becomes a practical soldier and
has three years of actual and nine years OF
semi-actual service before him. In other
nations armies are enlisted and paid. In
Japan there are no enlistments: everybody
| must serve except invalids. employees of the
government and a few other persons, and
you never heard of a japanese imm1gratlng
to avoid service. Students in colleges and
academies recognized by the government
are exempt while they are pursuing their
studies. but the moment they graduate or
leave college for any other reason they are
subject to military service. Nor is there
any reward for this service except patriot
ism.
The pay Of the ordinary enlisted man in
the Japanese army amounts to 40 cents a
month. The sergeant major of a regiment,
the highest non-commissioned officer, gets
81 month. Nor are the officers paid any
better. A Sublieutenant receives ABOUT
$11O year-not quite SO month in Amer
lean gold; a second lieutenant receives $3.50
year, and a full general receives 1896,
which is about the same as captain OF
cavalry in the United States army. Be
tween the two the pay is graded according
to rank. OF course. money goes great
deal farther in Japan than in America or
that has been the case until recently, but
1t is rapidly becoming quite expensive to
live here as in Europe. An army omcer.
however must live very simple. according
to the regulations. and many-perhaps most
of them-manage to get along upon their
pay without other means of support.
Strenuous Service.
The Japanese soldier lives d very ssfeHu-
Gus life during the three years Of service as
a conscript. He rises at o'clock In the
morning and is kept busy until o'clock
at night, when he is required to be in his
little bunk He not only has much drill and
parade work, but spends several hours
day in gymnastics. rifle practice. fencing,
bayonet fighting and wrestling. He also
spends four hours day at his DOCKS. pc
cause the japanese have theory that the
cultivation Of the mind will add to the
efficiency of a soldier as well as the oe-
velopment Of the muscles. Therefore, when
the conscript finishes his three years OF
training. he is not only an almost perfect
fighting machine. but he Is an Intelligent
educated patriot
And, beyond all that, and even more I'M
portant, is the material of which the army
is made. We boast that the efhclency OF
our volunteer forces Is due to their intelli-
gence and individuality, and the feeling OF
responsibility that governs every man VINO
greater degree, in Japan. This war Is an
individual matter with every soldier. Every
boy in the ranks knows what he Is fghting
for and feels a personal responsibility. he
is not in the army as a profession nor by
choice, nor the pay, but because his EN-
peror requires his services. and he takes MS
patriotism on the field OF battle as Wen
as his brains and muscle. Each private
feels that the result Of the struggle with
Russia depends upon his personal conduct.
Never was an army educated by such d
high sense OF duty anu pdliio tiS
falls upon the field of battle it is the high
est privilege of a citizen to die for his coun-
try, and his religion teaches him that
eternal happiness and honor Will Do MS re-
ward. 49,. 49, s.r
witnessed upon every battlefield The
death list on the Japanese side has oeen
appalling. The official report or the storm
Japanese loss as $780, Those are eloquent
figures Regiment after regiment charged
the Russian Notifications at double quick.
in the face of terrific cannonading. to the
very muzzles of the quick-fring Russian
rifles. When the front rank went down
the second leaped over the dead ana
wounded, and then the third, and thus
regiment followed regiment without the
sliehtest hesitation, until the trenches
were finally reached and the guns were
taken. This was not reckless disregard
of danger. 1t was not an exhibition or
contempt of life, but 1T was cool and de-
ltberate performance Of what the Japanese
soldiers consider their duty. and their
courage is based upon solid foundation
of moral and mental training and is a
chara cteristic that has been developed I'M
der patriotic influences Wherever volun-
teers have been called for duty of extreme
peril every man present has onered MIN
self. and commanders no longer ask Tor
Volunteers 1t is useless. They deliberate
ly make details.
Victories Explained.
The continuous VictOrleS OIL Japan dIo
thus explained and the reasons can be
appreciated more fully by those who are
acquainted with the personnel of the Rus
sian army, which IL composed Of ignorant
peasants, not 5 per cent Of whom are able
to read or write or know what they are
lighting for. They are faithful, loyal and
obedient. but have no individuality. Hun
dreds Of years Of oppression have extin-
guished 1t. The Russian soldiers are the
sons of the serfs who were theoretically
emancipated by Alexander II, but in most
cases are still as much slaves as their
fathers were. They go into battle at the
command Of their officers; they fight as
they are ordered to do, and they retreat
when they hear the word Of command
stolid, stupid, faithful. like an OK or a
dog But when their officers fail them or
they are frightened or exasperated they
are entirely beyond control.
A comparison Of the personnel of the two
armies explains very clearly the reasons
for the Japanese Victories on the Lao
tung peninsula.
We went into the store Of Damaruchi
here the other day. the silk merchant OF
Kioto Che is well known to every Amerf-
can who has Travelled in Japan. intending
to renew an old acquaintance. but when :!
inquired for the manager I was told that
he was in Manchuria serving as soldier,
Thr0nQhnuf