Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-05-03
FUTURE WAR OPERATIONS.
Sooner or Later tho japanese Expect
TO Be Put On the Defensive.

TO DO Put On 1he 0oreuSlVcs
London, May 3.--Baron Hayashi, the
ia panese minister here said to the
Associated Press yesterday: The irn-
mediate result of General KuroAd's sue
cess will probably be a movement on
Feng Huan Cheng, which the Chinese.
had fortified with their usual brick
structures. Snce the commencement OF
the war the Russians doubtless have
added earthwprks, but their loss Of.
guns Sunday must seriously diminish
their defensive strength.
Il understood, tho cannot vouch for
the absolute accuracy Of the statement
that Russia had only one hundred
guns in Manchuria. II that Is the case,
her artillery strength has been dimin-
ished almost one-third.
They fight WE'LL these Russians. and
Feng Huan Cheng will not be taken
without hard struggle unless General
Kuropatkan changes his plan OF cam
paign. The announcement that the
Russians would not contest the cross
ing Of the Yalu has proved, as we
thought, to be misleading. Thirty
thousand men is far too large a body
for any general to leave in the face OF
the enemy IL it were merely intended
to hamper his movements. Kuropatkin
evidently meant to make a determined
resistance, but he either underestimate
ed our strength or disposed hds forces
In the belief that we would not venture
a frontal attack.
II take it from the dispatches re-
ceived that we have now practically
secured control Of both banks of the
Yalu. In consequence, our base VIII
probably be moved TO Autung.
ITO be perfectly frank, must say
expected Sundays engagement would
be more decisive, especially i'm view OF
the large number of Russian troops
opposed to us. Its significance must
largely depend upon our ability to
pursue the enemy"
Reviewing the whole future of the
struggle that has just commenced in
such deadly earnest on Land, baron
HayasM said: THE duration OF the
war must lie rather with Russia than
with Japan. For the moment the mil
.itary advantage is with US, for huro-
patisin has extended his front and we
can strike where we Wall. Our as-
gressive movement may be carried on
to Mukden, and perhaps to Hardin, ana
even farther, but before long there
must come a stage of the campaign
Where Russia will assume the role OF
the invading power and where we must
act solely on the defensive. From the
beginning it has been SO, and our ag-
eression is and has been but means
toward the eventful repulsion Of an
invading army.
General kuroki himself probably
cannot say at this moment at exacliS
what point our aggression Will De
changed into the defensive. kuropat-
kin, so believe, says he will not un-
dertake to drive us back until ne mas
900, 900 men ready to take the field.
think what that means is that at least
five per cent of that force will die
from sickness, so that to keep his force
ait the maximum required kuropatkin
will always have to be transporting
$4,000 men from st. Petersburg - no
small task.
This years harvest in Manchuria
/ learn, promises TO be bad. A million
Russians there, in addition to the ar
my, must be fed. We have or shall
have, closed every source of food sup
ply except by the Siberian railroad.
Even with double tracks and no men
or munitions of war to transport, the
problem of feeding the Russian pop
ulation and army now in Manchurie
would be in itself intensely serious
but with single track road, which Is
Russia's only vital sinew, it seems al
most impossible, and famine appears
inevitable.
with this dreadful accompaniment
of war, there is only too likely to be a
rising among the Manchunians. They
may attack the Russians or they may
attack us. Either case is bad enough
to contemplate.
"As regards Port Arthur and Vladi-
yostok the situation Is somewhat diff
ferent. cannot say anything about
Continued On Eighth Page.)