Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-28

ish 1t, but q foreigner does not like ii after
two or three meals Il Is not so bad when
cooked as a SOUP"
What is the food OF the Russlans?''
They are better able than thu Japanese
TO live on the country. They can get a
deal OF fresh meat In the north and their
Hour comes from the Hardin mills. Those
hills are large enough to supply the army.
Ihe Russian commissary is well managed.
hsach company has great cook stove on
wheels, in which n big boiler of SOUP is
always cooking The men put everything
they can get In the way OF Vegetables and
other edibles into this soup. and there is
q NOT powl for each soldier at regular in
tervals. In this respect the Russ.ans are
DETER OF than the Japanese
Armies in Furs.
How do the men keep warm there i'm
midwinter? They cannot have fires when
under arns?"
No. the most of them rely upon their
clothing for warmth Both armies wear
more or less furs. The common soldiers OF
Japan have long thick oyereoats of kaki
with nigh fur collars, which they can turn
up about their faces, and the officers wear
Iur-hned coats. AS to the Russians. some
or them are clad in furs and some in sheen
skins The Cossack uniform Is alnest al,
Iur. including an enormous fur can,
AS 10 fre, one of the most serious
questions is that of fuel The march of
iNurokfs army, with which I was has
been largely through a wooded country and
We nave cut down the trees for wood AT
times charcoal has been sent in from Ianan
i .3r the use of the soldiers, and just now
they are doing all they can to pump ont
the Yentai coal mines These mines arc
not very far from Mullden They were
USED by the Russians. but they flooded them
water. The Japanese are doing ali they can
10 get pumps and empty the mines"
Railroads and the War.
"'ThOSn ninac
roads. are they not?'
Yes. The japanese now have the south
ern end of the Chinese Eastern railroad.
Ihey have Changed it to a narrow gauge in
order that they may be able to use Japa-
nese engines and rolling stock You NAV
remember that the Russians have a broad
gauge. For this reason the Japanese could
not use the road until it was changed"
welI?'
Very WELL indeed. I understand" said
capt March. THE government has taken
charge of it and they are pouring soldiers
INTO Manchuria over it There is a steady
stream OF fsting men moving across Siber-
Ia DAY ana night and as fast as the SOL
diers die or become disabled they are re-
plenished by others. 1t is wonderful how
little the Russians seem to regard the loss
OF men. You would think that the
oo,Oo0 soldiers who Were killed in the last
great battle would have disorganized the
army and disarranged its plans. 1t did moi
The officers took it as matter of course
and also the men. This fact, it seemed to
me- made a serious impression upon the
Japanese. Before that battle they had no
doubt of their ultimate success Since then
they have begun to wonder whether after
all they can wear out or conquer a foe like
this"
The Russians as Soldiers.
What kind OF soldiers are the Rus
sians?"
'They are brave and will fight until they
drop. They know nothing else We cap
tured many of them and there were thou
sands dead on the battlefield. Many of
the privates fine-lookng. They are big
boned, lusty fellows with fair complexions
and light hair. This surprised me, as |
had expected to find dark-haired men. l
had heard many stories of the viciousness
and savagery of the Russian peasant. The
faces saw had no such characteristics, and
the papers found upon the men conveyed
the opposite impression. Every soldier had
pocket testament or at least the Four
Gospels, and upon many of the dead we
found letters written and ready for mail
ing to their families at home. The letters
were simple, affectionate and loving giving
the little details of camp life and carrying
messages to dear ones, large and small in
Russia. 1t seemed to me that men who
could write such letters must be more than
ordinarily decent. Speaking about the Tes-
taments, it was curious fact that the
names of the company and regiments of
the men were scratched out. This was to
keep the Japanese from estimating the
character of the Russian army"
From what you say, captain, the Rus
SLAMS must be religious?'
They have all forms of religion, and /
do not see why We should not give them
credit for honesty said Capt March.
Every set of troops has its priest with it.
high-capped man in long black gown.
The soldiers sing hymns as they go into
battle, and even during their night at
tacks, they charge, singing
The japanese Soldier.
How about the Japanese?'
s.They are just the opposites of the Rus
SLAMS They make no noise whatever. They
sing no military songs and in fact you
never hear them singing. They are quiet
in camp and on the march and in battle;
but they go steadily ahead and fight to the
death. There are no Drawer soldiers known
than the Japanese, and none, think, more
efficient.
Are they We'll trained?'
Thoroughly So said Captain March.
1.-The work they are doing in Manchufla IS
not new work for them. They have been
doing this same thing in their maneuvers
at home year after year for fifteen years.
They have been moved by water from one
part of Japan to another and have had TO
fight upon landing. Almost every problem
that has come un in the war has been
and again. They are organized after the
German system. Each man knows just
what he has to do and the army works
like a great machine.
THE japanese army is composed of pick
ed men, continued the military expert
Every year all the able-bodied youths OF
Japan of certain age have to appear be-
fore the authorities and the best are taken
for soldiers. This lot is weeded out again
and again until something like 10000 or
more men of equal height and good ply
sique remain. These are trained for the
army AS a result the japanese troops are
about as evenly matched a body of men as
YOU will find in any army. They are in
tensely patriotic and almost every man es-
teens it an honor to die for his emperor
The Officers Are Able.
What do you think of the officers of the
two armies?'
.sThey are able men and men of expe- |
rence. This is so of both japanese and
@@----- :