New-York tribune., 1905-02-12
KURoPATKry AND HIS CRITICS.

First Stoesse and then KurOpatkin were at
tackled by military critics-men who know how
battles ought to be fought and won. but whom
unkind Fate, for some inscrutable reason, seems
TO have provided with pen instead of sword.
AS to General Stoessel. the matter seems TO be
in fair way to be thrashed out, and from pres
ent indications it seems probable he will still be
allowed heros place, though not of the rank,
perhaps, first assigned to him.
AS to General Kuropatkin ii is a little too
early to make predictions, especially as our
knowledge In the matter is necessarily incom-
plete Colonel Gaedke, military correspondent
of the "Tageblatt'' in the Far East, says that
the Russian commander in chief, though per-
sonaly brave admirable and an excellent ad-
ministrator, ''lacks that glance that penetrates
1.-The darkness of situation, quick decision, and,
before all, the unsympathetic will that alone
"triumphs in war" At Liao Yang, according to
this German military critic, Kuropatkin "bur-
"dened his mind with placing individual regi-
"ments battaIions and batteries and lost there
"by the conception of the whole" AS an indi-
cation that Russia also is losing faith in kuro-
patkn may be cited the report That comes by
way of st. Petersburg and Paris that General
Kuropatkin is suffering from cerebral anamia
and that his return has been Professionally de-
cided upon. Figaro" the contrary denies
both statements, and hence until further infor-
nation is at hand it will be premature to specu-
late as to KurOpatkin's future. AS to his past
that, as Webster said Of Massachusetts, is Sc
cure. The echo of the praise of General Kuro-
patkins mastery retreat from Liao-Yang TO
Moukden is still audible even above the cIamor
of his present critics.
Still, 1t may be said that right or wrong as
the critics may be, what is demanded of q gen
eral in the last result is success and If he fails
TO achieve that he fails to meet expectations
General Mcclellan in our own Civil War un-
doubtedly was a man of great organizing abili-
ties, and displayed on many occasions general
ship of a high order but he inevitably had 10
give way to general who won victories though
1t was long and costly process to the govern
ment to find that man in the silent hero of Ap-
pomattox. That General Kuropatkin is not
Napoleon or Won Moltbe or a Grant is evident
At the same time he is clearly the ablest gen.
eral yet produced on the Russian side. and the
experiment of replacing him with another at the
present time would be a dangerous one In one
respect also 1t must be admitted the critics seem
to have facts on their side. 1t does not require
argument to show that heretofore General Kuro-
patkn has not achieved what every commander
In chief is expected to achieve-success. That
may not be his fault. but the fact remains. and
necessarily requires considerable explanation
II may be that Colonel Gaedke is correct in his
statement that Kuropatkin is too cautious too
much burdened with detail and lacks the swift
decision necessary In the crisis of a battle IN
every commander who wins victory for bie
cause. He apparently is able to weigh and con.
slider, to fight gallantly and stubbornly and 70
conduct mastery retreat; but he has Yet to