The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1905-06-14
FIELD MARSHAL OYAMA
TALKS OF THE WAR

I deep. His broad and lul y lace
/ plainly shows tho marks Of small
puN. = disease from which be SUI
fered many years ago.
Access 10 Field Marshal oyama
is very easy. Hl2 life. like his
character. Is simple. In the nine
months I have been with the Jap
anese army In the field ! have call
ed on him perhaps half a dozen
times. Every time | have seen him
and seen him Rt once lie has a
wonderful memory FOR faces and
names and never faFEetA either.
When | entered hla quarters the
other day with Captain Tanaka. his
adiutant and aide. who speaks Eng
l.sh perfectly. Marquis OyRmA
arose from bic chair and came for
ward TO meet me. Taking me Into
a small room off the main reception
room he drew up a chair for me and
brought In cigars and cigarettes
from hia private room.
After he had lighted a cigar and
taken a chair be asked through
Captain Tanaka. for the marquis
speaks no English. after my health.
Was | comfortably quartsred7 Had
/ AL the facilities necessary Tor my
workf We're The officers In charge
of the correspondents treating "a
property Had seen all wanted
10 Of the Mukden hattlef And a
score OF other questions ] express
Of my entire satisfaction with the
way things had been going since
+ Lao Yang. where the correspond
snta made their historic protest and
he said that be was pleased 10 hear
iIt.
If things 80 wrong At any time. .
he said. come TO me and | will do
everything IN my power 10 remedy
f the conditions. And he meant IL
After a fow minutes conversation
explained the object % my visit
The field marshal laughed.
People don't care 20 hear from
me- be answered.
I assured him that he vas mis-
taken. that people Old want 20 hear
from him. Bat it vas not until I
told him that Il would be a great
/ personal favor to me that be con
scented to make a statement II was
demonstration Of enc of the great
points OF the mans character. lie
had no desire % BE- interviewed. no
desire for any more publicity. but
N by making a statement be could
/ help someone else. even q humble
correspondent. he vas wiiiiug 70 do
II.
He crossed hls legs nnd swuns
one foot Ha took a freah grip on
his cigar and began 70 chew Il
nsrvousiy. For q minute there was
silence. Then he looked az me.
smiled shoepishly. and said
You have to tell me what 10
say." The great soldier was blush
Ing like a schoolgirl
And so I began 90 ask questions.
II was ths hardest interview | have
ever obtained. I literally pried It
out OF him.
'Thsrs are rumoFs Of peace"
said. "oan you tell me anything
about that7"
Il am a soldier. not n politi-
clan" he replied. II IL my duty to
fight The japanese government
win arrange the terms of peace
when the time comes. Il is entirely
outside my duty"
Are you satisfied with the war
the war has gone so fart"
Entirely" he answered. Japan
was forced 20 fight this war In the
interests Of international peace and
the safety Of our country. Yes. we
are satisfied"
what do you think Of the Rus
SLAMS as fighting men7"
Personally I have a high regard
for the Russian a. n soldier. ON
GERS and men have fought we'll and
they are brave and able" lie
paused a minute and laughed light
ly to himself
Our only previous experiences
was with China" he continued.
During the war 7 was IN command
Of the army which attacked Port
Arthur. With division and a half
I took the city in five hours. II was
different this time and the differ
ence IL Just the difference between
the Chinese and The Russians as
soldiers and fighting men"
Are you satisfied with the show
ing the japanese soldiers have
made In this war;"
Our entire army, both officers
and men have performed their duty
~ Japan know they would. In the
olden days the army ~ Japan was
q H.H L.. .