The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-06-29

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the active campaign itself Japan must
find herself saddled with q heavy indi.
rect expense in caring for her Russian
prisoners. Already there are at the
different prison camps--that Is, the
places which have been chosen as head
quarters for receiving the prisoners--
some 10000 Russian captiyes, officers,
priyates and supernumeraries these
last including a few women and sever.
al children,) all Of whom have TO be
clothed. fed and guarded, and II all Of
the Port Arthur garrison who are not
10 be permitted to return TO Russia on
parole are taken TO Japan this mum
Der will be very materially increased,
without taking into consideration any
more who may be captured In other
engagements. At very moderate es.
innate these three items Of primary
expense, namely, food, clothing and
guards, cannot be much less than so sen
day, and at that rate the total which
Japan will have TO provide for one
years maintenance OF her prisoners OF
war is upward Of 100000 yen, and
there Is the dsagreeable fact confront
ing the japanese government that 1t Is
probably impossible for it to use the
labor of those prisoners in any advan'
tagcous 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 the
commencement Of hostilities; but there
Is noticeable in the vernacular press n
disposition TO ask II the authorities are
not needlcssly coddling the prisoners.
doing too much for them in a senti'
mental way, and il the men cannot be
compelled TO do something that shall at
least contribute towards their keep, ii
not pay the whole expense thereof.
Yet there Is no open revolt at the ex.
pressed intention Of their government
to do what it 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 II the prisoners are kept upon a
diet that to them it might seem
almost abstemious, the cost Of II would
quickly run away with three times the
sum that Is sufficient to feed Japan
ese prisoner. In the Japanese iails 1t
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
"luxurics," With the Russian prison
ers II is very different.
To keep them well they must have a
good deal of meat and other things that
are never dreamed of in arranging the
fare in japanese prisons at ordinary
times; to such an extent is this true
that the prices of meat and vegetables
have nearly doubled in the last few
months, So that it will be seen at
once 30 sen a day for food is not an
extrayagant sum to allow per capita to
those Russian prisoners.
This leaves only 90 sen for clothing,
medical attendance and expenses of
guards, a sum scarcely sufficient, and
| il is quite likely that the estimate OF