Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-30
In Organizing

In organizing.
Great attention is paid to organization
in the japanese army. The active strength
OF that army is under 10000 in time OF
peace; that of the British army nearly 22o,-
600. Yet the japanese general and depart
mental staff numbers, according to the lat
est figures, 3.575 officers and men, while the
British numbers only 1853. That is to say,
the japanese have more than three times
as many men as the British to look AFTER
the working of an army which is normally
not much more than half the size of the
British
The daily life and social etiquette of the
Japanese officer differ materially from
those of his American. British and Euro
pean brethren. No Japanese would dream
of slapping brother officer on the back
and calling him ''old man." nor would he
invade his rooms unceremoniously and
shout for brandy and soda. "Hazing
would be an impossible breach of good
manners The social intercourse of Japa-
neSe officers is regulated by most cere-
moniouS code of etiquette. Even the ca
diets, though they are as high spirited and
lively as cadets anywhere else, always ad-
dress one another with formal politeness.
The stranger who dropped into a regi-
mental mess might suppose that the officers
had only just been introduced to one an
other. so marked is their apparent absence
of cordially.
But this is only on the surface. In reality
a keen spirit of camaraderie pervades the
force. 1t is regarded most dishonorable
to seek for promotion at the expense of
brother officer even by methods deemed
legitimate in other services, as, for ex-
ample, by cultivating social relations with
the men who dispense honors and rewards.
Communistic Principle.
1t Is said with much truth that in a
British regimental mess everything is COM
mon property. except money, and you have
only got to ask the next man for that"
The same communistic principle prevails
in the Japanese army, but it is carried to
even greater lengths. The officers, true to
their Samuraf traditions pride themselves
on despising money. They will beggar
themselves cheerfully to enable a friend, or
even a mere acquaintance, to settle his
debts or the debts of members of his family.
An officer of one of the regiments OF the
Imperial Guard, stationed at Toxic, made
up his mind some time ago to ride through
Manchuria and spy out what the Russians
were doing. He obtained leave, but had
not sufficient money for the enterprise. AS
it was not an official mission, he could not
draw upon the public funds. He mentioned
his quandary to a brother officer. That
officer Immediately went to his room and
drew check for every yen he possessed
in the world, beyond his pay. Even that
was not enough for he was a poor man.
He told his comrades, and they instantly
subscribed all the money they had avail
able. By nightfall the adventurous officer
had started for Manchuria, and there was
hardly yen left in the regiment. This
story was told by Japanese in PhiladeI-
phia, not at all as an unusual occurrence,
but simply an illustration of the broth
erly spirit which ordinarily prevails among
japanese officers.
In other services, notably in the British
large part of an officers day is taken up
by purely social obligations, such as gar
den parties and afternoon calls. There is
very little of that kind of thing in the life
of japanese officer, which is fully occu-
pied by his professional duties from morn
ing until night. Nor is the luxury of an
officers life in other parts of the world
found in Japan. The budding Won MoItkes
of the island kingdom habitually sustain
life on dried fish and rice like their men;
and they would desire nothing more SUBJ
stantial on the hardest campaign. 1t was
good enough for them when they marched
forty miles a day through the Manchuria
SHOWS, during the war with China
Has Fine Material.
The rank and file of the army is admitted
by practically all foreign experts who have
visited Japan to be composed of excellent
material. 1t is organized and trained main
ly upon the Prussian model, but hints have
been taken from other foreign armies as
well. The men are armed with magazine
rifle invented by Japanese officer Gen.