The Washington herald., 1908-08-27
Kuronatkin On the War.

We Judge that most Of the wars that
the world has known have had their
origin. more or less. in greed for COM
merce or territory, and We think that
IL VIII not come as news that this greed
was the primary cause for the Russo
japanese war. That. however. is the
principal feature OF the first fnstallment
of the memoirs Of The Russian general
Kuropatkin. which. translated from his
original notes. are now being published
in a popular magazine. Russia's advance
southwark in Manchuris and in Korea
had freely been commented on for months
prior TO the opening Of hostilitiss- Jap
anese irritation was evoked chiefly at the
Russian advance south OF the Yalu into
Korea, a country over which Japan had
assumed a sort OF proprietory guardian
ship. and which she has since set out to
civilize with the sword
Gen Kuropatkin was sent out 10 the
far East as a special investigator when
the japanese irritation first became mani
fest. and the result Of his Investigations
led him TO report 10 the Gar that much
Of the trouble was caused by a Russian
commercial company which was active in
the forests Of Korea. under the ostensible
4 leadership Of State Councillor Bezo6ra-
zon- Gen. Kuropatkin does not say so
IN so many words. but he implies that
those high in authority land a note from
the editor indicates that the Gar him
I self was one} were interested in the
BezobrazoT company. and that they de-
clined. for the sake OF Gen KuroPatk!n's s
fears. 10 give Up the enormous profits
in sight They ignored the fact that
/ treaties were being violated daily. greed
{ blinded them 20 the injustice OF their
cause. and so the war became inevitable
/ Il is most interesting 20 note that Gen
/ Kuropatk.n went into the war with q
/ belief in his heart that IL was all wrong
I This must account. IT a measure. for
/ some Of his Lu-success- A man cannot
/ fight his best in a bad cause Kuropatkir
/ believed that Russia was all wrong ir
I its far Eastern policy ne was agains,
] the vast expenditures for the Trans-S..
/ oer.an Railway; against -he holding and
I tho f0rtifcstl0n Of Port A-thur: aEaius'
the military occupation OF danchuria
he gives the substance % conf6entia
report ne made 70 the Car in which b,
Z urged strongly a return 20 the policy o.
+ colcenrratiou OF the resources OF the en-
/ plre against the disaeectlsn AZ home. Il,
believed that Russia's best energie
should be directed toward cleaning hous,
+ az home, and iust.tuuug the uuch-needst
reforms which have since been brough
70 pass. As a military man. he warue,
( tie Gar against the growing strength O.
/ Japan. and he seems 10 have estimate,
Abandonment 0f Port Arthur and Dalu,
IN favor OF China he had the suppo-
Of witte and Lamsdorf but It was al O
no avail The Korean forests proved 10
attractive q bait. and Russia, through n
greed OF the Bezobrazo1 company. wen
on 10 her disaster.
Certainly these memoirs Of Kuropatkl
/ demonstrate how tl-prs7a-ed Russia va
fo- war; how little she really desired @
expected IL Her policy was one Of OF
preston ard gresd and injustice. and &
the fell punishment that came 20 her. &
the loss OF blood and treasure she sus
tanned. It IS evident that she only 81,
tered the Just punishment that come
20 the evil-doer-