The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1904-09-13
JApAA'S ARnY GENIUS.
Record Of Baron Kodama, Chief
of staff to Oyama.
SCION OF GOOD FIGHTING STOCK.

SCION OF GOOD FIGHTING STOCK.
william T.. Curtis says Field Mar
shall oyama Considers Ills Assistant
one of the worlds sbrewdest STRAIT
egists-His Arrangement For Locat-
Ing japanese ana Russian Forces.
Everybody agrees that the genius Of
the Russo-Japanese war is General
Baron Kodama, recently assistant
chief OF the general STAFF, and now
chief OF staff to Field Marshal Oyama,
commander in chief Of the Japanese
army In the field, says William <.
Curtis, The Chicago Record IIerald's
correspondent writing from Tokyo.
Kodama was formerly assistant min
lister Of war, then minister Of tie in
terror, and is now governor general
Of Formosa, on leave Of absence, hay
ing been called to Tokyo at the out
set Of the war because, while assistant
minister Of war some years ago, he
| planned the campaign which the Japa-
nese armies are conducting in Man
churia. After serving Id Tokyo for six
months and carrying out his plans CON
corning the mobilization and transpor-
tation Of troops, he was sent to the
front about the first of July.
General Baron Kodama is about City
years old and a descendant Of sa-
mural or knight Of feudal times. He Is
therefore Of good lighting stock ana lie
has made q brilliant record as a sol-
der bearing honorable wounds re-
ceived ID Korea some years ago where
he was shot through both shoulders.
Eer months he lay h a plaster OF paris
ii ,G Unable to move a muscle Of the
upaoa portion OF his body. His patience
ahd courage lave been talked about
eyer since Ills left arm is helpless.
Otherwise he Is ia perfect health and
Is the hardest worked man in Japan.
He has spent from sixteen to eighteen
hours a day at Tie general stan build
ing. He has read every report that
has been received and every dispatch
that has been sent from Tokyo con-
corning the army in the field, and has
dictated most OF the orders from the
war department at Tokyo to the COM
manders in the field. Although Field
Marshal Oyama is III good health and
his mental vigor Is unlmpaired, he re-
fers everything 70 Ills assistant be-
cause be recognizes his superior abli-
fly and considers him the shrewdest or
one OF the shrewdest strategists IN the
world today.
Baron Kodama looks more Ike q
Frenchman than Japanese. Except
his diminutiye size, he is entirely I'M
japanese IN appearance. He is small
and slight, weighing not more than
120 pounds His scanty hair is iron
gray His mustache and goatee, which
he wears In the French style, are all
most white. His skin Is tanned like
leather from great exposure and has
the weatherbeaten appearance notice
able In sailors and old campaigners.
His eyes are keen, but kindly, and
their color Is blue He has a quick,
nervous manner and a hearty laugh.
He speaks no English or French, but
reads the latter language imperfectly.
Lieutenant Tanaka, an aid-de-camp.
who speaks both English and French
tluentiy, Is always at his side to In
terpret conversations, No reports are
given out without the approval OF Ko-
DANA In fact, he is Japan as far as
the army is concerned.
He has an assistant Of his own kind
In Major General Fukushima, man Of
great ability, energy and learning,
whom many consider the equal Of his
chief. Fukushima has ridden from one
end OF Manchuria to the other. He
knows every road and stream, every
mountain and valley, every town and
hamlet and can make chart of the
country with his eyes shut.
Fukushima and Kodama work as
one and are entirely In sympathy
Among other duties Fukushima looks
after d curious chart which hangs IN
Kodama's office. The headquarters Of
the general staff are In O two story
villa, built for the residence Of a for
eigner about twenty years ago, just
outside the walls that inclose the park
OF the imperial palace. Within every
thing is severely simple.
Kodamas room Is the plainest Of all
1t Is uncarpeted, entirely without orna-
ment, and the only furniture is an In
dianapolis roll top desk, an ordinary
kitchen table and half dozen hard
bottom chairs The table is covered
with maps and charts, and upon the
wall is a rack Of beautiful japanese
cabinet work divided into narrow little
Sits, each Of which contains piece Of
cardboard inscribed with Japanese
characters While no foreigner or 9th
er person unacquainted with the Japa-
nese language can appreciate the sig
ntficance OF this curious arrangement,
to Kodama and Fukushlma 1t means
everything. Each slip Of pasteboard
represents a regiment, each line Of
compartments a brigade, each block
Of lines a division, and the entire rack
stands for the Japanese army In Man
churia. Over the wires every morning
come reports of the location and fight
ING strength Of the different regiments,
and the little strips Of cardboard fla
this curious arrangement are changed
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