The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-13
WIN the Mukdcn victory End thewatc

How large a fraction of the fleeing
Russian army can find temporary shelter
behind the Notifications of Tie Pass il
az vet uncertain, but it is plain enough
that kUBopATKIN has experienced a
disastrous defeat less complete, indeed
than that which IMAGINATION suffered at
Sedan, but fairly comparable with that
which NAPOLEON encountered at Lelp-
zig and which brought about his down
fall Between the two battles however,
there is this momentous difference
After Leipzig the road to France Law
open 10 the allied forces, and they pres
emily approached the Rhine. European
Russia, on the other hand is unussail-
able by the japanese. and the utmost
that they can hope for, should hostilities
be prolonged, is a withdrawal Of the
remnant Of the Russian army to Hardin.
or possibly TO Lake Baikal To collect
at such n base a force large enough to
take the offensive would require at least
a twelvemonth, and therefore the next
campaign in the Far East, if there be
one, must be postponed until 1906 Il u
continuation of the war probable under
such untoward circumstances?
If Manchuria had been for generations
an integral part Of the great Northern
Empire, the question would doubtless be
answered in the affirmative by the Rus
sian people as well as by its ruler. All
that would then be needed would be for
NICHOLAS ii. TO recur to the expedent
employed Jv MARIA THERESA when
Silesia was seized by FREDERICK H..
namely, convoke the peoples repre-
sentatives in a national assembly and
appeal 10 them TO expel the invader.
Large concessions in the direction of
constitutional self-goyernment would
undoubtedly have to be made. but they
would be cheaply purchased by the
speedy rehabilitation Of the RomanoT
dynasty at home and abroad The sit
uation in Russia to-day, however il
radically different from that presented
in the Hapsburg domimons when in
reply 10 the appeal of their young Queen
the Magyar mobiles shouted: "Moranur
pro rege nostrol- The Russian people
are Well aware that Napchuria is no part
of their country; that, as their Govern
mcnt repeatedly acknowledged in 1903,
it belonged to China; and that, by his
perddious breach Of promise TO evacu-
ate a region wrongfuly held, the Car
provoked the war in the Far East They
know that on him, not upon the Japanese,
lies the responsibility for the Russian
blood shed in Nanohura Not for
moment can their resentment be d.
verified from its proper object
Even If Russias fiscal resources were
not already strained 10 the utmost, it
would be impossible to wiring from her
peoples representatives supplies ade-
quate 10 the prosecution for another
twelvemonth Of war wantonlv pro-
voked and shamefully misconducted.
The money indispensable for a continu-
ance Of the contest would have to be
procured from the bankers Of Central
and Western Europe. II has been COM
puted that France has already invested
81 800, 900 900 in Russia. is it credible that
the French people will pour out hun
dreds OF millions more o be wasted in
hostile operations al the further end Of
Asia, which as experience has shown.
would have scarcely any prospect Of
success? Assuming that the RoTHs-