Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-07-01
JAPAN
FACES
CRISIS
Cost Of Feeding Russian PriS-
0neTS Greater Than Kill
ing Them

the different prison camps-that is, the
places which have been chose as head
quarters for receiving the prisoners
some 10000 Russian eaptives, officers,
privates and supernumeraries (these
last including a few women and sever.
al children,) all Of whom have to be
clothed, fed and guarded, and il all of
the Port Arthur garrison who are not
to be permitted to return to Russia on
parole are taken to japan this num-
Der will be very materially increased,
without taking into consideration any
more who may be captured in other
engagements. At a very moderate es-
innate these three items Of primary
expense, namely, food, clothing and
guards, cannot be much less than 80
sen day, and. at that rate the total
which Japan will have TO provide for
one years maintenance Of her prison
ers OF war is upward Of 100000 yen,
and there is the disagreeable fact con
fronting the japanese government that
IL is probably impossible for Il to use
the labor Of those prisoners in any ad-
vantageous way.
No wonder, then, that the people Of
japan are grumbling at this heavy ex.
pense that is already added to their
already onerous burden. The legiti-
mate expenses of the war they bear
cheerfully, as matter Of principle, al
though these have already reached a
sum twice as great as that which was
announced by the government at tho
commencement Of hostilities; but
there is a noticeable in the vernacular
press a disposition TO ask II the author.
tiles are not needlessly coddling tho
prisoners doing too much for them in
sentimental way, and IL the men
cannot be compelled TO do something
that shall at least contribute towards
their keep, il not pay the whole ex.
pense thereof. Yet there is no open
revolt at the expressed intention Of
their government to do what II can
to make the Russian prisoners at least
comfortable.
Russians justly have the reputation
Of being heavy eaters, and they are not
accustomed to the simple diet which is
satisfying TO the japanese, so that
even If the prisoners are kept upon a
diet that 10 them IL might seem
almose abstemious, the cost Of it would
quickly run away with three times the
sum that is sufficient TO feed a Japan
ese prisoner. In the japanese jails IL
can hardly be necessary to spend more
than 10 sen a day for the food Of a
native prisoner, who gets no meat, but
little fish and absolutely nothing Of
what a native in that land would call
"luxuries." With the Russian prison.
ers it is very different.
To keep them well they must have
good deal Of meat and other things
that are never dreamed of in arranging
the fare in japanese prisons at ordi-
nary times; 10 such an extent is this
true that the prices of meat and veg
etables have nearly doubled in the
last few months. SO that il will be
seen at once 80 sen day for food is
not an extravagant sum to allow per
capita to those Russian prisoners.
This leaves only 20 sen for cloth
ing, medical attendance and expenses
of guards, a sum scarcely sufficient,
and il is quite likely that the estimate
Of 50 sen a day will be almost doubled
when the bills are actually settled. Be
sides this burden Of expenses there is
staring Japan in the face the grave
danger to her people Of an outbreak
Of disease among the Russian prison
ers. In part Of the japanese guards,
II is well night impossible TO make the
Russian prisoners take necessary sani-
tary precautions.
- nh SPAhNhiN VI NJ7'ANNig VI p-Af~AA
pox or something even worse should
break out at one Of the prison camps
il viii have sad effects upon the Jap
anese people in the neighborhOOd, and
may spread all over the country and
with the approach Of warm weather
that danger will become a positive
menace. Ii would be interesting to-
know just how the japanese prisoners
in Russian hands are faring. Exact
knowledge is not available, and, besides
the number cannot be comparable with
that of the Russian prisoners in Ja-
pan, for no such disaster as the sur
render Of Port Arthur has befallen
the japanese. It is certain, however,
that considerable number Of Japa-
Dese have been taken by the Russians,