The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-17
CONTROVERSIAL BOOK ON
RUSSIAN WAR PRISONERS

ton for peace congresses to debate
whether the European or the Japanese
way IL the best
Since the Russo-Japanese war the
ltalian campaign IN North Africa and
the war OF the Balkan allies against
Turkey and the war between the allies
themselves have shown the extren, st
contrast TO the Japanese way. Christian
Europe has proved itself In these in.
stances at least, still medieval If no.
oarbaric IN tue treatment of prisoners
OF war despite Geneva and Hague con-
ventions
III the japanese erred or laid them.
selves open to criticism IL was on III.
humanitarian side as they continually in
creased their consideration, forbearanCs
anu sympathy until they came perlously
near to soft sentimentalty. One clear
headed American missionary, depioring
the pamperinS process evident at certain
places OF detention, said I can stand
ihese cossacks having three square meals
a day. perhaps. That Is humane / sup
lose. but I resent their having after
noon tea with sugar This was re.
1eatsd to japanese of .c!al, who sad:
Why should we be harsh and rev.ngeful
ioward these poor Russians? They have
only obeyed their Emperor. You go
md see them and tell me II you think
we are too kind to them
Permits TO visit the prison places
we're secured for me through the Ameri-
can Legation. and chose and visited, In
any order. any OF the twenty-seven for
elgn hotels and vacation camps main
talned by the Minister Of War for the
Russian prisoners Whether In temples,
town halls, schoolhouses, hastily con-
structed quarters or barracks ! found
that the same systems obtained every
where, and that the prisoners OF war
were being treated In regard to food
.sln ~,
hi troops OF the Government which had
captured them-the article Of the Hague
invention observed far beyond the let
ter and Intention
while some resident American mis-
sionary and the official japanese inter-
prefer always accompanied me. the pris-
oners had every opportunity to talk
freely and even in languages the inter-
prefer did not understand. save at one
place. where the conduct OF the Russians
'ad made II necessary to deny them IA
rors previously enjoyed. At Matsuyama
convalescent officer was given leave
every day for week. from s A. NJ to
Il T. M, to act as Russian Interpreter.
ma he ranged the town as freely as ans
tourist in time OF peace. Nothing was
hidden, nothing was set up for or paraded
tor the visitors eye, The officers them
selves decided whether they would re-
celNo VISITORS or not. After the fall OF
Fort Arthur the wives OF twenty seven
Russian OFFICERS were permitted to toin
their husbands In Japan and met four
or those residing I'm Matsuyama. It seem.
hardly necessary to say that the Won
Theills and their comrades and Tosa-
ouro are all imaginary personages. merely
TYPICAL and that every effort was made
to dinerentate their positions personal
lily and circumstances from any whom l
knew.
THE life OF these prisoners OF war was
put In the form of romance to insure
wider reading than "A prose essay could
command. and five editions were pub
lished without the authors name, in order
that the prisoners own story should
argue for itself first without the intru-
sion Of any alien personality"