The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-03-04

japanese initiative should offset Rus
sia's supremacy in numbers ara re-
sources.
Such was the declaration yesterday
OF George KEENAN,, the famous eXposer
Of the miseries of Siberian exiles. who
will leave for the East in A few days
to act as correspondent for weekly
periodical
1T must be remembered said Mr.
KEENAN,. that the day of shoulder to
shoulder fighting is over. Hand TO hand
conflicts between regularly organized
troops Of civilized nations are almost
Impossible at the present day, when
rifles kill at from 1.5OO 70 1000 yards
Open formation is absolutely necessary.
and there the Japs have the advantage
Russian and Jap.
The Russian is taught from the date
OF his birth to obey. He does not act
according TO his own ideas or sugges-
tons made by his sharpened wits. He
acts only when told 10 do so by some
one else and then only in the manner
prescribed by his superiors. Such a man
is at distinct disadvantage when fight
ing in the open formation. left to his
own resources and beyond the re-ch Of
his officers voice.
with the Jap II is entirely different.
He is A member of a new and free race,
full OF original conceptions and IDEAS
anxious TO display his Individual worth
and capable Of handling himself when
left alone. Open order fighting viii suit
him as much as It will disagree with
the Russian. / am told that in the lat
ter davs of the BOer war II was neces-
sary to place the British soldiers fifteen
feet apart in order TO meet the tactics
Of the Beers. That style of fighting will
be a severe blow TO the Russian troops.
A Russian Advantage.
zone advantage the Russians are
thought TO have. is ability 70 stick to
their work i'm the face Of reverses. Com
petent observers are Inclined to believe
that while the Jap has more dash and
go than the Russian at the start. he
will not have the logged persistence and
phIesmatic indifference TO enable him
to bear with equanimity a persistent
repetition OF defeat and disappointment
We have not yet had an opportunity
TO learn anything on this matter. but
such is the belief Of those who have
carefully studied the situation.
Russia has an advantage in the num-
I >
that department. Japan is weak. but the
Laps have wonderful powers Of physical
endurance. and I believe that in a short
time they viii be able 20 move their III
fantry so fast that the effect of the Rus
sian cavalry viii be neutraHzed in great
operations. Large bodies OF horsemen
riding down squares of infantry are out
Of the question in this day and genera
tioD for the rapid-fire small arms would
simply wipe them out
"Rotten" Administration.
.Rottenness in the civil and military
/ administrations Of Siberia in particular
and Russia generally. VIII probably
cause the Russians great losses. and be
of enormous service to the Japs. japan
! is fghting at her own doors. Russia is
/ fghting 5000 miles from her base. ia
pan has an honest and highly developed
/ conmissary and transport which is AL
4sftted by all the leading experts to ranl
with any in the world. Russia has d
supply department.. which. when l wa.
there in 1885. was absolutely permeatet
with fraud.
! "A case 1 learned Of was that of q
/ cruiser which was ordered TO be built
/ for which the money was regularly ap
/ propriated and which was finally an
} nounced to have been completed. As a
matter of fact. she was never begun
and every cent Of the money went int,
the pockets of corrupt officials. Another
/ case equally remarkable I encounters
! I'm Omsk. i'm Siberia. A Polish refugee
who was the photographer IN the town
showed me a picture of "A very ord
nary public building there. The picture
/ had been made upon the express orde
| of the minister Of the interior. v no tool
it for granted that 'graft tor the Rus
slams was the cry. and that the Pol
4 would not be in on any crooked deal
''The photograp her explained tia
; some years before, 1000 roubles wer
appropriated for the public building "a
Omsk. Plans were drawn. and were ac