Los Angeles herald., 1908-08-26
LESSON OF RUSSIA

N ARTICLE by the Russian gen.
" eral, Kuropatkin, on the Secret
"a Causes of the War with Japan"
published In McClure's Magazine for
September, is remarkable contrtbu-
ton to the study of economic science
as well as to the foot-note department
OF modern history. We say foot-note
department, because we think people
are still somewhat primitive in the
study of war. They are willing to read
great deal about the fighting, but
have only faint interest in the causes
which led to the fighting. AS Tennyson
said of the soldiers who took part in
the celebrated charge, Theirs not to
reason why"
The Russian Tommy Atkins never
showed much interest in the war with
Japan. Indeed, he was markedly un-
willing to go to the front, as the
peasant class from which he was re-
cruited is more ignorant and therefore
more auperstitious than any other class
in the world. and breads the unknown
even when 1t is only an unknown
style Of human being-with an tnten-
sity of terror which excites the wonder
of persons OF the Celtic, Saxon and
Teutonic breeds, and indeed Is beyond
their comprehension. With an instru-
ment of this kind, poor, ignorant
lump OF clay with a meager intellect
and a starved soul, the Russian oil
garchy fought power which had every
thing to gain and practically nothing
to lose, and the soldiers of which feared
nothing because they believed nothing,
having abandoned all their old super
stitions and religious beliefs without
replacing them by new.
Kuropatdn, however, does not deal
with this aspect Of the question. but
solely with the causes Of the war, ana
he traces them accurately to-dollars
and cents. 1t was a commercial war,
yet from an economic point of view
was a ridiculous and hideous absurdity
Most modern wars must be absorbed
to the desire for territorial or mercan-
tile Expansion" to the need or the
greed for markets. Britain conquers q
new province, densely populated, ana
says: BUY. We ask no victor's ran
som-but we demand your trade. The
mills at home must be kept busy.
Modernize yourselves. Learn how to
think commercially, and BUY FROM
u.s." But this excuse-which, viewed
from the standpoint of altruistic ethical
philosophy, has a singular relationship
to piracy-could not be pleaded by the
Russians.
Yet the report made on the Man
churian question by General Kuropat-
kin to the czar shows the general has
a clear insight into the fact that
economic conditions are among the
chief causes, If indeed they do not con-
stitute the chief causes of all wars.
On this point he said:
1.-The economic interests Of Russia in
the far east are extremely insignificant.
WE HAVE AS YET, THANK GOD.
NO OvERPRoDUCTION IN MANU-
FACTURESS BECAUSE EVEN OUR
DOMESTIC MARKETS ARE NOT
YET GLUTTED. There may be some
export Of articles from our factories
and foundries, but 1t is largely due to
artificial encouragement and will cease
or nearly cease-when such encour-
agement is withheld. Russia therefore
has not yet grown up to the MELAN-
CHOLY NECESSITY OF WAGING
WAR IN ORDER TO GET MARKETS
FOR HER PRODUCTS. AS for our
other interests in the far east, the
success or failure of a few coal or tim
ber enterprises in Manchuria and
Korea is not matter of sufficient i'm
portance to make 1t WORTH WHILE
for Russia to run the risk of war on
their account"
Therefore, according to the general.
the war was not an economic neces-
sity. From any point of view it was
bad-economically, a sheer case of stu
pidity or folly; If it may be regarded
In the light of an investment, then
truly a wildcat investment" The
Russians have no need for territorial
expansion. They cannot manage prop
erly the territory they are now credited,
by one Of soclety's fictional conventions,
with owning" They are so lacking in.