Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1904-10-20
A BLOW TO RUSSIA.

acted in Mancharia. Do we realize
that while in America we move about
in peace and security and rest at night
in calm serenity, on the other side OF
the globe at the same day and hour
human life, as dear to its possessors as
ours to us, is being offered up in sacri.
fee by the thousand TO the grim, gaunt,
grisly god of war? Oh, let us pray
that such an experience may never be
ours. Let us give more than a
thought to the widows and orphans in
Russia and Japan who mourn the
loved ones torn from their bosoms.
Let us fervently hope that the time
may come speedily when the slaughter
may cease and hands now raised in
deadly strife may clasp again in human
brotherhood.
The student of warfare, who can
close his eyes TO the bloody spectacle
and his ears TO the groans of the
wounded and dying, may find what be
seeks in this strife now waging. As
predicted at the outset, the Russo-Jap-
anese war is marked by operations
conducted on a scale as grand as any
the world has seen, since the time of
Napoleon, at least. As the first great
struggle of the past quarter century,
it carries object lessons long sought by
experts. They have wondered how
modern armored war vessels, in fleets
or singly, with the accompanying tor
pedo boats and destroyers, would oper-
ate in actual strife; what value was to
be put on the submarine mine and tor
pedo how destructive "A modern bonn
bardment from heavy calibre guns
would be; and on land how great
armies would move and maneuvre;
how men would face the rapid fire and
long range OF the 8r.illery and tie
magazine small arms that have been
built on theoretic lines since the last
great test between first-rate powers.
We are learning all these things now,
though at dreadful cost in lives TO
those engaged. To the efficacy otmod-
ern arms is added in this struggle the
element OF human courage; valor that
knows no limit short OF death itself;
patience and endurance unprecedent-
ed and on the side of the japanese, at
least, skill and resourcefulness that
have stamped them as wonderful
people. If the Russians have been I'M
successful it is not through lack of
their traditional bravery or fortitude,
but because they are meeting foe no
less brave and perseverinC, who fights
with his head as well his hands. who is
fired by an ardor uncomfortable, vet
cool in the crisis, undemonstrative ever,
and always exhibiting the desirable
traits OF the best soldier. Russia is
meeting this toe perhaps as well as any
other nation could. The japanese must
be reckOned as new force, not vet
even fully proved. IL has not been
shown what they could do in extremity.
or what their attitude would be in the
face of defeat. They have never been
fully checked or forced to retire from a |
field.
In this latest engagement near Yen /
tai, lasting more than week. the
Russians, for the first time in the war. |
assumed the role OF aggressors. Be |
fore this, they had been always on the /
defensive and driven from position to |
position, after stubborn, but ineffective
opposition. This time the Russians
took the initiative, sought the foe on
his own field, made their own plans
p compass his overtime Wand failed |
When the real clash came.
/ was but a short time before the
Japanese, having checked the adj
vance, themselves attacked, and the
perforce took up their old
attitude of retiring with their face to
he foe. The ceaseless strife by day
and night always bore the same aspect
desperate valor, unending slaughter
1ut gradual defeat tor the Russians
The TACT is now patent, il not before
hat the Russians are not match for
he japanese. in anything ike equal
numbers. It is apparent that the
ISLANDERS are so superior to their foe
Is to place ultimate triumph in this
var quite beyond his reach. unless
orces altogether overwhelming are
brought from Europe-deemed AN
impossible task.
The late defeat is a CALLING one for