Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-11-28
WONDER WHY TAFT
GUT OUT ALL
M0NARCHS
IN ORDER TO BESTOW
ATTENTION ON CAR
Change in Itinerary of the War
Secretary Cause For Lively
Speculation Among DipIo-
mats AT Washington.

Washington, Nov. 24.-There has
been much comment in Washington
among the members of the diplomatic
corps and politicians as 20 why the
itinerary of Secretary Taft on his way
home by the wav of Europe should
have been so changed az to include
a visit to the cZar and to scrupulously
avoid a meeting with the ruler of
any other European people. The war
secretary will spend two, and possibly.
three, days in st. Petersburg and
every possible attention Will be shown
him by the officials Of the Russian
government. Ever since he set foot
or Russian soil at far off Vladivostok
Russian officials have been eager to
look after his comfort and make his
visit and his journey safe and pleas
ant. The private car used by the for
mer governor Alexieff Was put at the
disposal of the secretary and his party
and while the journey across Siberia
might have been very comfortable in
an ordinary sleeping car. it undoubt-
eddy approached something luxurious
in this official vehicle.
Those who look for some political
reason for this attention TO the Amer
ican secretary and for some inkling
of the of the administration
in permitting Mr.. Taft to avail him
self of 1t. naturally find 1t as an out
growth of the recent anti-American
sentiment on the part of Japanese
people. 1t Is held by many far-seeing
Americans that If the Japanese ever
did force war between his country
n the government of the mikado an
alliance with Russia would be a very
good thing to have on hand as a mill
tary weapon 1t is no secret that Rus
STA In e~ndeavoring to recoup from the
an EAAt- - 49, ww-na a. 49, - "a nd !
that she Is learning from the lessons
that campaign taught her.
That Russia can fight under proper
conditions history proves, and the war
with Japan showed Russia was not
prepared for that encounter. Nor is
IL reasonable to suppos that the
great bear" has abandoned hope of
ever recovering the prestige 1t lost in
the fight with the Japanese. Anything
that would weaken the Japanese
would be welcomed by Russians and
the attitude of the representatives of
that government at the recent Hague
conference. when they refused 10 tie
their W hands concerning nautrais
in her ports. indicates that Russia
would be only too willing to afford
all possible assistance TO the United
States in the untoward event of war
with Japan.
Whether 1t be true or not that the
visit of Secretary Taft may be utilized
10 sound the car at a personal con-
ference. ii Is apparent that the dip
lomatic corps put this construction on
his visit. The big battleship fleet VIII
be in the Pacific early in the new
year and IL there should be an omi-
nous grumbling In the Orient over the
drawing near OF this fleet II would
be comfortable for the administration
to know precisely what might be de-
panAnH tpanp In that nafphhnrhnnn nf T.
the Japan sea If the American ships
were in hat vicinity and needed the
assistance of a friendly port. All this
may be but idle talk but the fact re-
mains that the visit of Secretary Taft
to ST. Petersburg has opened up the
whole field Of conjecture in connec-
ton with the relations of the United
States and Japan.
For some time the war department
has been making experiments with the
equipment Of the army with the end
in view of removing everything that
would make the enlisted man a target
for the enemy. While there IS no
war cloud on the horizon. the most
exhaustive experiments along THIS line
have been conducted and II ever the
American soldier is again required
while on march agair>~an enemy he
will be as in-cOnspicuous an object
while on the march and In action as
ne can be made.
The problem of Kidding the military
equipment Of everything that viii re-
fleet the suns rays and thus become
a trial upon the eyes of the men
Is rapidly being solved. While this of
Itself is a distinct advantage. the more
tr~Dortant consideration Is the fact
that which attracts the suns rays Of
the sun presents a shining surface for
The sharpshooters Of the enemy.
one Of the most conspicuous objects
81 his character was found In the tin
cup which ordinarily is carried o-,-
side the haversack or saddlebag.
Among the suggestions to overcome
the light reflected by this piece Of tin
was one prepared by General kuroki,
The Japanese general when I'm this
country. This consisting of Japaning
the Tin. which gives II a dull color, but
the results Of the test were not salts 5
factory. The cups were next covered
with canvas. but stu the results were
not encouraging. Now n has been de-
cided that collapsible cups that can be I
carried inside the saddlebags or hav-
ersack shall be used. and that much or :
the problem has been solved.
Another portion Of The soldiers out
fiji that would attract the eye at long
distance in the sunlight is the small
tin packet containing tn. first aid 10
the injured OutiiI. Nnlch every SOL
der carries. II is usually strapped =
10 the belt and as its surface wears
shiny 1t makes ar excellent target
and a target on a vital portion OF
the human figure. This packet Is 10
be covered with w and strapped
10 the belt in a way to produce the
least amount Of friction. u is not
practicable 10 carry this in a haver-
sack. as that portion Of an equipment
g. thrown aside in action. No way OF
preventing the glistening OF the guns
sabres has yet been devised.
Elias :. Holiday. Of the Fifth In
diana district In congress. T. one ~
the oldest members OF his state dele
CATION. an estimable old gentleman
whom everybody loves He. also. ia
only old soldier from Indiana CO..
When one knows the abso-
lutte impossihimty ~ the old man 90 re-
member names and faces until ne
has become well acquainted. be womb
how - poor a political mixer r.
could ever get 10 congress This rnW-
ever. j. the only fault Mr. Holiday
has
" So a~ r- r snrs -anr
In Washinglon. 81 the beginning 81
ne s7th congress Jim watson. OF