The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-13
SMILES OF JAPANESE
IN FIERCEST BATTLE
DENORALIzE RUSSIANS
Peculiar Habit of the Mikado's
Fighting Men Excites
Amusement.
EFFECT IS TERRIFYING
National Custom of Carrying
Cheerful Faces Emphasized by
Army Training.
AN AGREEABLE PEOPLE
They Act on the Pleasant and
Proper Theory that to Be
Gloomy Is to Be Impolite.
EFFECT IS TERRIFYING
AN PEOPLE
Special Correspondence OF the Journal.

Feb 10-The opinion prevails
among the hundred or more Russian pris-
oners OF war arrived from Port Arthur,
out OF whose icy bay they were rescued
and pulled aboard Japanese vessels. that
Russia is doomed TO lose the war for the
reason that the Japs meet the enemy, face
death and infict death with smiling faces.
Among the Cars jackies are several who
speak English, and l was permitted TO talk
with them to-day in the presence of an
imperial officer.
The most intelligent of the crew. a bright
midshipman, said:
Il am afraid that when the great mass
of the Russian army learns of this Jap
habit-the great mass that is ignorant and
superstitious-our soldiers will think witch
a. craft is at work. In that event their fight
Ing spirit will evaporate as fear Of the
supernatural takes possession Of them. If
any one had told me 1 would have thought
him rOmancing,' continued the MILDLY.
"but l was near enough to see for myself.
As the NIikado's ship advanced. officers
and men. as seen through our Eyeglasses,
went about their deadly work with smiles
upon their lips. Stern words Of command
were given and obeyed with the joyous
courtesy an invitation to the bar evOkes
among the average soldier. Smilingly the
Japs aimed their guns. Whenever we got !
a glimpse of the commander on the bridge
ne seemed to be listening to jokes.
w heard Of Captain Philips's humane
command. at Santiago: Don't cheer. boys.
they are d~ying'-words that are enshrined
in every true sailors heart-but the Japs.
IL seems TO me. outdid the gallant captain
OF the Texas in graciousness at Port Ar
thur. When the Russian ships were sink
inc and our N arrr.cL ont for Shora-or
any other place OF safety. for that matter
the enemy advanced with smiling faces to
lend us a brothers helping hand. Indeed.
myself and comrades were pulled aboard
with such hearty welcome of demeanor as
one might expect of the crew of a yachting
party engaged in rescuing the owners
guests.
A we were sent below I saw a Japanese
officer Kill one OF our men who had dis
charged a revolver at him on being brought
upon deck. And this act of j~ustice-for |
admit such 1T was-was likewise performed
without a trace of anger in mein or man
ner. The MikadO's lieutenant plunged a
huge bowie knife in my comrades abdomen
while laughing, not boisterously or triumph
antly. but in a serene. courteous manner.
RUSSIANS PUZZLED.
This. L nave since learned, is a Japanese
trait little known to the outside world. To
them it means nothing. in warfare at least.
but 10 an enemy such smiling composure is
nothing short of terrible.
The Russian soldier in particular is ac-
customed TO see his commander and SUI
periOrs grave and severe. ROWING even.
on every sort of a pretext. Our troops are
used to being overawed; reflect what il
means to them to come face to face with
all enemy. who batters their ships and ha-
raises their TANKS, who deals death and
destruction, apparently in the happiest
frame of mind without seeming effort.
The great mass of our men will look
upon an adversary of that sort as a SUI
perior being. as one under a spell. as in
vincible. Among my fcllow-prisoners L
hear il argued all the time: IF the Japs
were not conscious of superior strength
they would not enter into the fray with
such unheard-of assurance. Surely. if they
didn't know beforehand that they can lick
Us they wouldn't have that air of hooking
ThiTk of a charge of a light brigade
with each man smiling his best. every
corpse after the battle bearing the stamp
OF pleasantry on palIid lips-wny, it needs
no Ten1ysOn TO make such an army a ter
Tor far and wide"
The Mikado's officer made signs to indi-
cate that the Interview was at an end, and
i withdrew not a little astounded and per-
j talked 10 a member OF the war minister's
staff on the subject. who said that with the
Jap soldier the aspect of smiling sereneIy
was a matter OF special drill.
"A smiling countenance is. in fact. part
of our peoples rudimentary education,
Vastly expanded, ana SITlCIly insisted upon.
with our boys in blue and the jackies, he
continued. 1--WE don't want morose men;
we know that brave deeds can be accom-
pIished without fierce grimaces, and we
know. too. that a smiling enemy. suffering
wounds. and teopardizing life and limb. is
very likely TO win a reputation for bravery
and recklessnesS with opposite forces,
used 10 savage demeanOr. blasphemy. and
rawlings with pain and lust for revenge.
However. since the Russians, according
10 the prisoner OF war you quote. mistake
our habit % smile under all circumstances
for evidence of witchcraft. there is an en-
tirely new aspect 10 the case, which / must
decline 10 express at present, but L Venture
10 say. though, Everything is fair In war. "
EDUCATED TO LOOK PLEASANT.
On the way back TO his hotel your CORE
spondent. for the first time. took particular
notice OF the facial expression of natives
and foreigners he met. and soon began to
ask himself: why do all these Britishers.
Freuchmen. m and even Americans,
look so sad and depressed. or downright
angry. compared with the sunny-faced
Jap?'
And / remember that. one day. when
walking Inter den Linden. Berlin. with
Madame the Marquise Tsunejiro, wife OF
one Of the secretaries of the japanese lega-
ton. she said to me: What has happened2
IL strikes me as If all these whole people
NO. no. L answered: that's only 8 way
the Germans have. You wouldn't see such
or san Francisco"
To-day : recognize the incorrectness, Of
the above. Side BY side with the Jan the
average American Is far from geniallook-
1ng, while the Englishman appears decid-
eddy crusty and the German austere and
solemn 20 q degree.
The following explanations Of and com
ments on the Jap smile-that-wo 't-come-on.
even In death. were gathered from natives
and longtime foreign residents in the
island empire.
There are no Pleasanter babies BON any
where than IN Japan. Japanese childhood
Is cheerful. painless-as far as parents.
teaches and superiOrs I'm general are con-
cerned-au smiling happiness. Both native
and foreign physicians tell me that the Ian
Paoy Is born smiling. ana education Is cal
4ulated 90 perpetuate the happy disposition
Rature bestowed upon the little yellow boy
DR. girl. The Jap child learns 10 smile as
n learns 10 walk and feed itself. as il
harms successfully all the laws OF old-time
etiquette. which is the essence OF courtesy.
Laughter IA not encOuraaed-no bofsfar,,s