Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1914-05-24

view, and each had the opportunity to lay
these arguments before Nicholas II. The Elm
peror at first was quite of opinion that General
kouropatkine should have the Siberian line
under his control, and accordingly granted his
request. When Count WHITE came to him the
next day his report proved to the perplexed
sovereign that the Ministry Of Finance was
the proper department to which the admins
tration of the railway should be confded, and
SO his arguments prevailed, with the conse-
quence that the decision OF the day previous
was changed. But the following morning
Kouropatkine returned, and again the scales
were turned in his favor until White, with new
reasons, once more secured decision in favor
of his own department This sort of thing, so
1t is said, went on seventeen times, until at
last Count WHITE obtained control of the rail-
way by threatening to resign unless the ad
ministraton entrusted to the Treasury
Department"
The Car, we learn began the terrible Rus
sian-Japanese war with feeble jest:
"One man alone, Count White, had done all
that was in his power to prevent the outbreak
of hostilities with Japan. That shrewd Minister
knew we'll that in the condition in which Russia
found itself at the moment, war, even a vic
torious one would have consequences which
1t is difficult to foresee. He, therefore, tried to
persuade General Kouropatkine to give up his
Warlike plans. But the latter, with the
party at his back, oyerruled the Count They
told the Emperor that the countrys honor was
at stake, and that 1t was impossible to 60 back;
that besides. the victory was as certain
anything could be certain in this world; that the
army prepared, and that at the first sight
of Russian regiments the Japanese troops would
fly In disorder; that the whole campaign would
No. ,,i1i ID ny,l oa1cn Nh
at last, when WHITE applied to the good sense
of Nicholas II. and asked him point blank
what advantages he hoped to gain by war
which might still be avoided, and which ought
to be avoided. even at some sacrifice of pride,
and amour propre, the Emperor is credited
with the reply. Why avoid it? 1t is time to
give some amusement to the nation I'll est
temps bonner des distractions pays).'"
The author gives some strange glimpses
of the horrors of this war:
During the retreat from Mukden,' he says
IAN officer relates that whilst trying to rally
some of his men, he startled by the means
of some creature in agony, and, trudgng
through the darkness to the spot whence these
means proceeded he found soldier weakly
struggling with huge vulture, who had begun
to snap at his and was tearing the flesh
off in pieces. AS for horses, no sooner had
they fallen than eagles and other birds of
prey threw themselves upon their bodies and
very quickly tore every piece of flesh from
their bones.
These birds were so bold and so sure OF the
quarry that awaiting them that they re-
fused to be driven away, lowering over the
heads of the miserable beings who were run.
ming for their lives. This sinister escort only
added to the horror that had already seized
these poor wretches. 1t was worse than fight
ing, worse than hearing the bullets whistling
In ones ears; far worse even than the scream
ing OF shell fire. II was a ghastly reminder
of the inevitable end To listen to the noise of
the great wings Tapping in every direction
seemed as If the angel of death was mockingly
and mercilessly journeying with them, ready
any moment to snatch up the souls of men.
"One person alone kept cool and calm; It wa.
the Emperor, who. when he was told of the
misfortune, read quietly the dispatch describ.
ing 1t, and. after having done SO. went on with
the game of tennis that he had interrupted to
peruse 1t. So ran the story. Here was the
whole OF Russia mourning her children, yet
the inference is ineyitable-the event was mot
of sufficient Importance to make Nicholas III
abandon the healthy exercise he liked to An.
dulge In on bright Summer afternoons!s
The world should realize the criminal char.