Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-01-05
THE EASTERN WAR CLOUD.

THE EASTERN WAR CLOUD.
The war cloud over Korea grows
darker day by day. In the opinion of
expert representations a conflict be-
tween Russia and Japan is irrepress-
ible. Tie question is, not If war shall
come, but when. An incident which
ended in Marshalltown yesterday is
significant of the general conviction
among those who are watching closest
the worlds affairs that war Is at Land.
The correspondent of a great pictorial
news purveyor of the east changed
cars here. He stepped from a special
train which had cost his company more
than $500, to the west bound train.
him to miss In Chicago. He was rae
ing across the continent to catch the
japanese steamer at San Francisco.
His paper believes war a question of
days. or at most, of weeks. The in
cidsnt is significant only as showing
the settled conviction of his paper that
war Is inevitable, and the great publ
cations are not often mistaken.
Both nations have been for years
preparing for war; each with an eye
upon the other. Russia is hungry for
power and anxious to dominate the
east. Her Siberian railway was built to
. prospective harbor on the east China
coast. She was behind the combina-
ton that withheld Port Arthur from
the Japanese who had won it with
their blood. Her Ice bound ports in the
north of Europe were insufficient for
q maritime nation which Russia as
pires to be. She needed Manchuria and
craved Korea and eventual domination
of China. with Its infinite possibilities
OF development. All this Japan has
seen and as fully as possible provided
against. The Jap knows that sooner
or later Japan must resist the agrees
sion of Russia, and fight the Musco-
and the Llaotung peninsula.
Despite the relative magnitude of the
two opposing countries, the contest. IL
It comes. is not likely to be at all one
sided. Japan has 100000 trained SOL
diers, as brave as men are made.
ready to bring to battle. The Japanese
navy in the east is superior TO that of
Russia. She vii fight at home for her
own. She has coal and money and
supplies and the active sympathy of al
least two great nations. Russia must
bring hey paSd munitions over the !
oySsafl of her new Siberian rail-
Way. There is the possibility of Box
er uprising agains; her in Manehurla
to be reckoned with by Russia. She
has also the nihilistic propaganda NJ
home, which no war spirit viii ever
force into friendship end arppor, for
the autocraoy. IKE conquest Of east
ern Asia is far from ac.is accomplish
ed. I: war comes !. VIII be another
OF those struggles watch '.stagger hui
mainly Japan viii be fighting for
her life, Russia for her place. as q
first class European power. psfeat at
the hands oc Japan and Great Britain
means the death blow 10 Russian as
pirations, the rehabilitation of Eng
land as a first class power and RUS
sia's retirsment from the front rank
OF the powers. Russia is forced on
ward by her destiny. Japan, striving to
be master OF her own destinies is
watching the dead lins she has drawn
about her rights.
Moreover, Japan is distinctly right |
and Russia wrong. Korea logically be-
longs to Japan, If 1t belongs to any ma
ton. It is Japanese as today mora |
than Korean. The censorship of the
peninsula properly belongs to peo-
ple akin in blood and sentiment and |
with a prior and disregarded claim OF
conquest. Russia has no claim beyond
her rapacity. Her action in forcing
weaker nation into war to defend its
autonomy is crime against civiliza-
ton.
TWENTIETH CENTURY DRUID. !.
When Rev. +. ]. Brobst, an evan
gelist who addressed ministerial
meeting in Chicago yesterday gave an
Interpretation Of the Chicago horror to
which the average Christian will re-