Los Angeles herald., 1905-03-11

the former dreaded, the latter hoped
| for.
General Kuropatkin is no maker of
phrases; his words never are quoted
like the famous "All is lost save honor, y
but his laconic messages probably hide
more than any other two sentences in
the literature Of war. st. Petersburg
knows nothing of the extent of the dis
aster, not even lines of EUROPA tkin's
retreat; whethcc the route to Tie pass
is still open; whether he is endeavoring
to cut his way through to safety or
whether. as many of the pessimists be-
If it is the latter he will inevitably be
hemmed in and starved into surrender,
as Marshal Bazaine was at Metz.
The dispatch has been studied as
closely as was ever the most abstruse
text of scripture over which dogmatic-
ians have wrestled, and from the words
"All our armies" the optimistic draw
the deduction that the bulk of the Rus
sian forces got away clear. In such
event the COMMUNICATIVE must
have sacrificed the devoted rear guard,
who flung themselves as prey to the
Japanese wolves that were closing in
on their trail, and Also it is conceded
on every hand the greater part of his
heavy artillery, including the siege
guns and enormous quantities of sup
plies and munitions
st. Petersburg Simply Expectant
OF the present situation of the army
whether it is utterly routed or merely
beaten, of the proportion of Russians
left in Japanese hands, or of the pros
pect of escape of the remainder-St.
Petersburg at this moment knows less
than the smallest hamlet in America.
Since the Associated Press Mukden
dispatch was filed at o'clock Friday
morning no dispatch save the brief
official announcement of the retreat
has come from the Russian army, Cen
eral Kuropatkins preceding dispatch.
giving the last details as to the posi-
tions of the army, having been written
at O'Clock Thursday evening. The
members of the general staff, when
asked for information said: I'VE know
nothing. We hope he will bring the
army off safely; but we do not know
how he will do it. We only know he
has commenced to retreat; that is ALL"
Everyone now is discussing peace,
which many of the staunchest advo-
Gates of the war, bureaucrats and Of
ficers, declare to be inevitable. It
openly is brulted that Rojestvensky's
fleet has been recalled and is now on
the way homeward. The admiralty.
when asked if the report were true.
said: I'VE don't know; call again to-
morrow" and declined to comment on
the significance of the cancellation of
the purchase Of colliers or the direc-
ton of Rojestvenskys voyage from
Madagascar waters. 1t can be stated.
however that no overtures for peace
have yet been made and none are like
ly to be made until the extent of the
disaster has developed
Aside from peace defeat may bring
other consequences in its train. That
an enormous impetus has been given
TO the reform movement is plain even
to the most reactionary conservative;
but the immediate result chiefly dread
ed is the effect on internal disorders.
not only in the capital but also, since
St Petersburg is not Russia, upon
the millions Of peasants in the vast
agricultural regions, among whom the
spirit of revolt now is incubating and
has already Matched pillages and arson
In few districts. 1t is believed,
however, that the government has been
able to nip uprising in the bud
and prevent radicals in the cities from
bringing off anything more than dem
cnstrations and talk of revolution.
The thought Of anything aside from
the peaceful revolution which has been
under way in the last six months is
secuted in well informed quarters.
No Crowds; No Demonstrations
Outwardly ST. Petersburg takes the
defeat uneoneernedly. A stranger in
the streets would never know that
armies defending the honor and pres
tlge OF Russia had Just sustained
crushing reverse. There were no crowds
last night no demonstration; no
change In the ordinary street life.
Newsboys were hawking extras on the
s'reets-mere dodgers with three lines
OF General Kuropatkins dispatch, sur
rounded by wide margins OF black.
but there was nothing TO indicate that
the extras Were more imnortant thar