Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-03-01
Mormon Missionary Writes
from TOKYO, Japan.
Elder Ensign And Ills ASSO-
Ci0teS Share the Favor
Extended Americans.
Special Correspondence,


The Latter-day Saints mission head
quarters in this city is located In a
district, from which looking to the east,
one sees Immediately IN front OF him.
a large tract Of government land OF
more than 100 acres. that Is used for
army drill grounds, to the south, about
40 rods large barracks, where are
stationed 5000 troops; to the southeast,
not more than half a mile. another
large barracks OF similar size; to the
north, perhaps so rods, cavalry post,
at which are stationed 1000 men and
horses, and about the same distance to
the northeast a station Of the govern
ment railway, from which the troops
from this district viii be dispatched
We are located where We can see much
that Is going on.
ON the 4th inst, the war department
issued a call TO all Its young men who
have reached their majority to report at
specified barracks to take the examlna.
ton prior to DOMINIC the army uni.
form, The emergency call" too has
been sent out, This calls for all who
have served In the army during the
past II years, With these orders went
out also a call to the carpenters of To-
kyo to gather, with their tools. at the
many army posts In this city prepared
10 commence the work of erecting tenn
porary quarters for the recruits and
horses that viii come here from outside
districts. The command was no sooner
issued than work commenced. For the
past three days and nights hundreds of
men have been working hard erecting
the necessary buildings, and the
grounds to the east Of us have suddenly
grown into dense populace. Men.
women and children have been gather
Ing at the barracks ever since the or.
ders were sent out men tn enlist In
their nations cause, women 10 see
their fathers, husbands. sons or broth.
ers, settled IN their new home" In
passing the post this morning my heart
was touched by the pathetic scenes
that / witnessed Aged gray.haired
men and women. We're standing I'm
groups wiplng the tears from their
eyes, while others We're holding on to
dear ones dreading to say goodbye :"
young mothers, with babes In their
arms, waiting anXiously TO learn whe.
Their or not their husbands must go to
war. These are but the scenes at this
post and as there are a score or more
Of them In this city you can imagine
how many are the hearts that are sad
and the feeling OF depression that ex-
lists here.
Japan has been anticipating this cri-
sig and has not been idle. For weeks
and months thousands OF troops have
been drilling on the grounds near us
All the tactics Of war have been gone
through, the building of embankments;
the scaling Of walls and fences; the
loading and reloading Of cannons: the
mounting and unmountng OF horses
the loading Of guns, the men lying In
all sorts of positions; the attacking Of
and the retreatng from the enemy;
the building Of bridges the erecting OF
temporary forts; the caring for the
wounded and the dead, and many other
maneuvers too numerous 10 mention
How many troops have been dis
patched to the field Of action, | am UNI
able 10 learn, Suffice It TO say they
amount to many thousands, They have
been sent out I'm citizens clothes and
have landed at many different places
This "call to arms has put the whole
nation into o state Of uproar and eX-
element. Business has virtually
stopped, Many who have served the
three years army service and who
have been called into service again were
settled in business but have been COM
PEELED to "Close up shop" I'm order to
comply with the emergency call"
NotwIthstauding the great disturbance
that the declaration Of war has caused
among the business and manufacture
Ing establishments, ! am sure that the
people are IN favor Of war. The spirit
of patriotism Is very strong. Without
single exception, every one with
whom ! have talked has expressed n
desire to take up arms aud has said
II IN such way that one could not help
seeing that he felt every word, for with
clenched fist and set Jaw, he would say
"Ill fight TIL die" True, n a peaceful
settlement could have been arranged,
the nation. as a whole, would nave re-
jolced. but as the worst has come To
the worst the cry Is, 1--WE shall win
or die"
EFFECT ON THE MISSION.
our loved ones and friends at home
need have no anxiety regarding US, We
are far from the scene Of battle, and II
the enemy's troops were TO attempt to
come here, the city is sufficiently forth
fed to prevent them from entering.
Ordinarily there are 30 O00 soldiers sta
toned here, and from now on the num-
Der will be greatly increased. OF course
It will be necessary for us 20 move eau
tiOusly, every foreigner will be suspect
ed Of being Russian and no doubt we
shall be compelled 90 preach long and
loud our nationality. Last Saturday we
were given fotetasle OF what II II
likely TO be. Elder Foothorstone and
wife, my wife and / aud a native saint
were out walking. While we We're
crossing the rempeiba parade grounds
we were stopped by a policeman, VINO
asked us our nationality. When we m
formed him that We were Americans, he
seemed pleased Americans are highly
respected In this land, Since the ud-
vent OF Commodore Perry into this
country, Americans have Deen greatly
admired. The japanese never fail to
take of their hats 10 "Old Glory and
honor those who come from the Land
OF the Free" We are In no imminent
danger 80 long as We can establish our
Identity The only way that the war
will AFFECT VIZ, will be IN our work, The
absence from home Of father. husband
or brother. or near relative, engaged
m the bloody throes OF battle, win close
many doors against u.s. Al this early
dav a temporary check has been put on
our work, which was made manifest
last Sunday evening We have been
holding meetings regularly every Sum
day at 6 p. m, at mission headquarters.
and have had an average attendance
OF ~. but last sunday we were unable
to hold meeting for lack OF an nu-
dlencc. However, | feel that In a short
time. after the first excitement dies
down, we shall be able to pursue our
labors as IN the past.