The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-14
RUSSIAN GENERALS WEAK.
THAT'S WHAT MAKES OUTLOOK
HOPELESS, SAYS "RUSS."

LinleyttCh Has Some Good Traits, Dut
His Task IL Terribly DifIicult-k uro-
patltin Never Fitted for Commander
Misunderstanding Physically Weak.
ST. PETERSBURG, July 2s-The Russ, IN
reviewing the military outlook, finds that
Russia's prospects offer no hope anywhere
because, as 1t says, however many army
corps she may place in the field. nothing
apparently can be done to make good the
incapacity in generalship. In a series OF
critical sketches Of the prominent Russian
commanders it expresses sympathy for
Kuropatkin. To school himself in the
lessons Of Skobelof and to win popularity
as a war minister he had sacrificed health,
Happiness 8 and career At the crisis he
proved to be not master OF Skobelon's
natural gifts and decision Of mind, but
remained always an excellent chief OF stah.
whose tragedy was to have been made
commander in chief. Liniev itch, says the
writer, has field experience, freedom from
the habit of academic routine, deep knowl-
edge OF the Russian soldier and right
understanding of the enemy, the talent for
choosing good assistants. physical win-
ness and cunning-al these things making
a favorable portrait Of General.
But" concludes his critic, his army is Tin
instrument with broken chords. his task
ia difficult, terribly difficult, and may Russia
not forget that.
The article describes Gen. Grippenberg
as great enigma. At Sandepu on Jan.
20 he believed he was pressing on to
victory. The order came to him to retreat,
which he did against his will and IN 30 doing
lost faith In himself. "He Is a Swede, an
upright, honorable Swede. 1t was hard
for him TO carry out that order. and he re-
turned from the campaign. Even If his
advance was not justified. we must admire
his energy and strength of will. ." Gems.
special desire to undertake advances, but
have fastened rather to make retreat more
easy"
or the various corps commanders under
these leaders, the Russ writes:
Baron Stakelberg, after the battle OF
Wa-fang ou and the unsuccessful attempt
of his turning column at the Sha-ho had
not the best renown. Even on his personal
courage doubts were expressed, but abso-
lutely without ground. Under fire ne is
the Russian soldier, Is sickly, physically
not do, because his soldiers neither loved
him or believed In him. ' = He Is sybar-
lite; an entire furniture train follows him;
even COW to be rnilked specially for him.
At Da-tchi-tchas he led excellently, was
under fire all the time, and his relations with
his men improved. He did the same at
Liaoyapg UP to the retreat"
It Is right to say Of Gen. Stakelberg that
the foreign military attaches and other
competent observers who saw the lane.
campaign do not share the view OF
the Russ. Most Of them hold that he was
the most scientific General probably the
only sound one as judged by a European
test-on the Russian side, in ,Manchuria.
They agreed that he was handicapped by
chronic i'll health and temperament
that had nothing in common with the
Russian soldier.
OF the two cavalry leaders istchenko
and Rennenkampf-the Russ says:
sMistchenko is an excellent artilleryman
and a good leader of a column equipped
with all three arms. He is a fearless,
cold blooded soldier, who has brought
his men with honor out of the most diff
cult positions. But as cavalry leader
he Ia a man who is not in his right place.
He is given burden that he cannot carry.
He Ia the most loved and honored per-
sonality in the army. Rennenkampf ia
an ideal cavalry leader in pursuit. lively
young, energetic, always eager to press
forward But he has not maintained
the place that belongs to him. The two
st. George Crosses which he won in the
Chinese campaign have aroused so much
envy against him that his merits are hidden
| away"
The Russ concludes: "This only is clear:
really great personalities and talents are
wanting, or they are not brought to the