Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-02-15
WHAT THE WAR MAY MEAN.

There can be no doubt any longer
that war has broken out between ia
pan and Russia, nor that II has broken
out IN dead earnest. There Is some ir-
regularity about the proceedings ia
pan first attacked the Russians. The
Car then accepted the challenge
whereupon Japan declared war This
at least, Is the order in which the dis
patches have presented the momentous
events OF eastern Asia. II Is precisely
the reverse OF what might have been
expected. But then, war Is itself
huge irregularity. an anomaly a viola
ton OF the rules Of civilization. Be-
sides. oriental proceedings are gener-
ally the reverse OF those of the occldent,
IN almost everything. The fact re-
mains that war has broken out and
the indications are that It Will be
long and brutally fierce struggle Ac-
cordIng to appearances Japan's aim Is
to destroy and cripple the Russian
ships, so as to have the mastery OF the
sea and be IN a position to transport
troops and supplies unhlndered across
the yellow Sea and the Japan Sea-
When this object Is accomplished, the
warfare on land must commence In
earnest. Japan's object must be to
clear Manchurla Of Russian troops and
this can certainly not be gained with
out long and sapguinary conflict
How will this war AFFECT the other
powers? Is another question 1t Is
quite certain that II Japan Is defeated
the slav will descend upon China and
appropriate as much as possible OF that
vast empire The tracks of the bear
are already plainly visible in Mongolia.
Russian victory means that the mum
dalton Of the slav Is to continue. II,
ON the other hand, Russia is defeated
this time. II means that she will con-
tinuc her intrlgues in the direction OF
Persia, or Turkey, or Scandinavia, IN
order to obtain the outlet toward the
sea, for which her rulers have fought
and schemed for centuries. In either
case, the war viii certainly have great
influence upon the rest Of the world
II Is bound 10 mark a crisis In history
This Is especially true when II Is con-
sIdered that an outbreak ~ again
threatened IN the Balkans A Vienna
paper publishes communication from
Constantinople In which II Is stated
that the Turkish government regards
war with Bulgaria as inevitable, As
already stated in these columns, Tur-
key refuses to carry out any of the
reforms promised last year Instead,
the Macedonlans will be mfssacred, rs
before, The insurgents will then seize
their arms, and Bulgaria will come TO
their aid. This Is the prospect,'as n re-
suit Of the engagement Of Russia else
where The European powers cannot
remain idle spectators Of Balkan con-
nagratlon The Bulgarians are growing
restless already. The premier the other
day declared that Turkey IL becom-
ing more audaclous and making the
acts Of Bulgaria an excuse for the con-
centration Of troops on the frontier"
Such speech In the national legislature
would not have been tolerated, had not
Rusala's attention been engrossed else.
where The MacedonIans themselves,
are anticipating the annual spring fer.
mont, and minor clash with Turkish
police Is already reported, Boris Sara.
foff, their leader It Is suspected, IL soon
TO start ralding Such Ii the situation.
II would not be IN the least surprising
to learn OF the outbreak Of Balkan
war In the not far distant future, in.
volvng several European powers.
So far Russia has managed to con.
troll the Balkan situation. She has done
so ~ her own interest, and with the
well understood Intention Of some day
taking possession Of the entire country.
II the European POWERS would prevent
this, now IS their time to take a stand.
Should q war between Turkey ana Bull
garia break out they would have the
opportunity Of re-arrauglns Balkan az
fairs according TO the demands Of clyll-
2ation. Russian diplomacy has created
and tostered a situation that might be
characterized as an open sore, The pre-.