New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-09-17
KUROPATKIN.

Kuropatkin is an "easy mark" for the car
tOonists and for the jokemakers, whose flouts
and filings are by no means always marked with
| Justice and discretion. He also is made the tar
get for much serious criticism. There is even
talk of his being superseded by some more
vigorous and dashing' commander. Such cOun-
ses, if they really exist at st. Petersburg, must
be regarded as the cOunsels of madness as well
as of monstrous injustice There could scarce
/ ly be anything more OminOus for the Russian
cause than to replace him with another COM
mander. There could surely be nothing more
ungrateful and unjust than thus to dishOnOr
him. For, despite the failure of his unfortunate
boasts, and despite the loss of prestige which
a defeated and retreating general inevitably
suffers, he stands better before the world to-
day than almost any one else on all the Russian
side of this war; Instead of degradation, he de-
serves promotion; instead of punishment, re-
ward
His course has been a peculiar and trying
one. At the beginning, year ago, it will be
remembered, he was one of the foremost OPP
ponents OF the war. He counselled peace, at
least until Russia was better prepared for war.
He understood her weakness. He, for one, did
not undeFrate the power of Japan. For proof
of that we need go no further atield than his
own published reports OF year ago. While
Alexieff aud BeZObrazOff and the rest were
light heartedly rushing Russia into situation
from which there could be no escape save
across battlefelds. his voice was constantly
raised for prudence and for peace Then, by
the perVerSity Of one of wars paradOXes, when
the war came he was called upon to fight 1t out.
He was looked to to win the war he had depre-
Gated and TO get Russia out of the scrape he
had warned her against and into which she
had plunged In disregard OF his counsel. 1t
was task for which he must have felt repug-
nance, and which he must have undertaken
with grave misgivings, despite the brave boasts
which he uttered before the world.
When he assumed the task, moreover, there
is reason to believe he found it much harder
than he had feared. There were at the East
only a small part OF the forces of which the
war party had boosted. There was lack of
preparation on every hand There was delay
in forwarding troops, and the troops when for
warded were found To be raw levies unfit for
immediate service. Moreover he was continu-
ally being inteTfered with and hampercd by POI
lIticaI intriguers. He was held responsible for
all that occurred, but not permitted to ex-
ercise full authority. Thus the insane Stakel-
berg expedition TO relieve Port Arthur was or
dered and executed against his counsel and de-
sire. Indeed, the holding Of Port Arthur itself
was contrary 10 his advice. He would at the
outset have evacuated that place, sent the feet
around TO VladivostOk, and massed the army
at MOukden. or some place where 1t would have
had some chance of maintaining its ground.
But tens of thousands of the best Russian
troops were lost 10 him by being eooped up at
Port Arthur, and to-day he is being rallied at
for not making bricks without straw.
The opinion of the impartial world to-day is,
as the calm judgment of the future viii doubt
less be, that Kuropatkin has made the best Of
all uncOmmonly bad job. AS the Car himself
Justly says Of the retreat from Lao Yang, that
at was an operation exeellently carried out in
the face of grave difficulties" we may say
OF his whole work in this war. If he has not
done as we'll as he would like to have DONE he
has done far better than there was reason to
expect him to do. Whatever Of credit has been
won by Russian arms in this campaign he is
entitled TO enjoy. Whatever of discredit there
may be must be laid at other doors than his.