Albuquerque citizen., 1908-04-03
Y. N. c. A. WORK
IN JAPANESE
v A R
Toxic Man Tells of Conditions
Under Which Soldiers Fought
and How They We're Helped.

Washington, April &c. V Hib-
bard, Of Toxic. in speech to the
Young Mems Christian Association,
described conditions under which the
Japanese army fought In the war
with Russia. and told of the work
of the Y. NJ c. A. established with
the advancing army which, in spite
of Disadvantages accomplished much
good He said.
Every soldier that left Japan for
Manchuria expected, down in his
heart, to be killed fighting for his
country and spoke of returning to
Japan by saying II return to Japan
instead OF When | return to Japan
The Japanese soldiers were paid
only cents "A day. The frightful
conditions in Manchuria cannot be
described. The top of the 'Two-hun-
dred-and-three Meter Hill was re-
duced 10 a pulverized and macadam-
lied waste by the constant explosion
of shells and the splintering of solid
rock Hundreds of tons of shells
poured in the region about Port Ar
thur, playing havoc with human life.
Fifty thousand Japlncse at a time
were taken off. The cost of life was
frghtfuI.
"Ir you we're to go now on the bat
tlefeids around Port Arthur you
would find rocks stained with human
blood. and bones of some poor dead
soldiers body cropping out here and
there. Thousands and thousands OF
lives were sacrificed to take the Rus
sian forts by storm and sally.
.Iaps' Plans Changed.
"That plan had to be given up.
Long intricate. winding trenches
were dug by the Japanese as an al
tentative. and this necessitated con-
stant hard. and slow digging through
solid rock and hard, dry SOIL
The digging soldiers were con-
stantly exposed to the rapid firing
guns Of the Russians. An endless line
os wounded were being hurried back
to the hospital quarters.
This intricate web of trenches
succeeded, after the outposts and
fcrts had been dynamited by the
japanese. \ sally was made through
the opening.
There was no rest for the poor
Japanese soldiers. even after Port
Arthur was taken. orders were i'm
mCdiately received that the soldiers
that captured the port were wanted
elsewhere in Manchura.
Forced marches had to be made
by the hungry, worn-out army. TIT
elements were particularly severe. II
the summer the sun was scorching
The japanese soldiers baked in thu
dry. hot plains. right out in the sun
They froze with the thermomete
below zero in the winter.
Work of tho Y. ". c. \.
The branch of the Y. NJ. c. A tina
We esta biished was not patronizeC
at first. We were looked upon a
Russian spies. The name of Jesu
was scoffed at by the japanese, wh'
looked on US an enemies since w
were Christians.
After while a few japanese sol
diers cane in to rest from thei
weariness Ii was not long befor
more followed soon the soldier
were patroniZing our place constant
~.
Every available comfort and con
venience was provided with our scan
ty means Eighteen thousand mel
frequcntcd the rooms in thre
months, and we provided them witt
writing paper on which to writ
home TO their families, One day ,,
600 letters were written
The Y. NJ. c. 4. seal was stampe'
on each sheet OF writing paper tha
went Of the office. Games We're pro
vided the soldiers and the phono
graph played incessantly.
We got scissors and clippers an
let them cut each others hair w
washed them and stcrilzed thei
clothes and freed them from vermir
I'VE had some influence on then
anyway The good We did was NOR
than can be estimated just now