The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-03-08
MAY END THE WAR.
Kuropatkin's Defeat Likely to Be Fol
lowed by Peace Overtures.

ST. Petersburg. March s.-That the
battle of Mukden will 20 down in his
tory with Lao Yang in the long list
! of Russian defeats is the almost uni
versal belief in pessimistic st. Peters
| burg, which has forgotten the mean
ing of the word victory. The war Of
! fee does not admit that the issues of
/ the great battle which already exceeds
in magnitude of operations and losses
that of Shakhe, has been decided. al
4 though it is positively stated in high
quarters that Kuropatl1in has tele-
/ graphed to Emperor Mich olas that it
will be impossible to hold Mukden and
/ that the withdrawal of the army
/ northward has already been begun.
/ Nothing from General kuropatkin
/ later than Monday has been given out,
/ but advices to St. Petersburg newspa-
pers and dispatches to the Associated
Press at o'clock last night indicated
the position of the Russian army after
day of furious and unprecedented
fighting as desp but not absolute
ly hopeless, some Russian correspond
ents even predicting a Russian victory
soon, and one affirming that the ex-
IRENE Japanese left has already be-
gun to retire southwark.
Everything probably now depends
on General Kuropatkin's reserve.
While the Japanese hurled themselves
forward at every point yesterday, their
main energies were behind the blow
west and southwest in an attempt to
d
wedge through the line at Madiapu,
but General Kuropatkin seems to have
been able to successfully change
front on the line of his shattered
right, aligning from northwest to
southeast to protect the railroad to
Mukden; and at niahtfan it was re-
ported he was practically holding all
his positions At the same time he
was drawing in and shortening his line
to the southeast.
According raOOrfS all the con-
centrated attacks of the japanese to
the westward failed and the effort of
Generals Nogi and Oku to push the
encircling movement north and east
ward across General KuroDatkin's line
of communication was blocked.
Reports, however, are conflicting
One correspondent telegraphed of
hearing firing to the northward to-
Cossacks and a flying column of
Japanese.
While some Russian correspondents per-
haps attach undue importance to several
minor Russian successes on the southern
front, which evidently were simply counter
attacks and in no sense a defensive move
ment, if Kuropatkin has a plan for strik-
ing real blow upon which, in the opin-
ion of experts, his salvation depends, there
is no indication as yet of such pur-
The commander-in-chief has been con-
filming his strategy, at Lao Yang, to
meeting the attacks of the Japanese and
accepting battle at places chosen by Field
Both sides are terribly exhausted by
ten days of continuous fighting and all
the correspondents at the front intimate
that the issue must be definitely decided
today
At the military clubs here General Kur-
opatlSin is already regarded as beaten, the
only question being his ability to execute
a retreat. Those who believe there is still
a chance of actual Russian victory are
few and far between. The majority
gard the fighting yesterday as a rear
guard action, entertaining no doubt that
there would a heavy Nitn0T3
ing the night. These OFFICERS, however, are
dependent upon practically the same infor-
nation as the public.
General Kuropatkins critics among mill
tary men are increasing in number. the
burden of complaint being that in every
action he has shown a lack of initiative
With defeat now. whether disastrous or
otherwise, they declare his star will set
On the other hand Field Marshal Oyanars
daring strategy, if successful in this bat
tie, will entitle him to rank as one OF the
greatest captains of the age.
Politically the result may determine the
question of continuing prosecution of the
war. An overwhelming disaster it is be-
neved, will surely bring Russia to terms.