Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-07-18
SIMPLICITY RULES
IN RUSSIAN ARMY
There Is No Ostentation Among
Men Who Are Fighting
for Gear.
ATMOSPHERE OF QUIET
Leaders Who Direct Destinies
Are Detached From Battle
Field Turmoil.

Especial Gable to The Times Dispatch ]
WARSAW. July 17.-Simplicity and
lack Of ostentation are the leading
characteristics of everything Russia n
In this war. and particularly of the
army. The two most simple men
have met are the Grand Duke Nicholas
and General .Nexeien. who has been
appointed to the command of the north
ern armies.
The theory in the Japanese army is
that the brain of the army should be
so far away from the actual scene OF
operations that he il absolutely de-
tached from the atmosphere OF war,
and that between himself and the front
there should be installed so many
nervous shock absorbers that the
quarters of the great chief himself
should be the realm Of pure reason.
with no noise and excitement and
hurryins aides 10 impair his Judgment
1 recall n conversation I once had
with Major now lieutenant-generaD
Tanaka. Field Marshal Oyama's per-
sonal aide-de-camp.
Il should have liked TO be with the
general staff" l remarked to him.
during the battle Of Mukdcn. 1t must
have been an exciting time with YOU"
My friend laughed and answered.: You
would have had great surprise, I
imagine. There was no excitement at
all. How do YOU suppose Field Mar
shall Oyama spent much of his time
during the battle?"
one naturally imagined that it was
spent scrutinizing maps and making
plans. and / said this TO Tanaka
Not at ALL" he replied. when the
battle began our work was largely
finished. 1t was but necessary to mako
an occasional change in the line here
and there, and this took but few
minutes. Most of the time the field
marshal and kodame tchief of the gen.
eral staff were playing croquet."
Much the same atmosphere of de-
tachment from the activities OF the
campaign may be seen to-day in the
little Polish city where General Alex
eief has his headquarters, except that
no one here has time for croQuet. 1t
is safe 10 say that. beyond his own
stan. there are not nifty soldiers in
the place. In fact. it is less military
in appearance than any city have
seen since have been in Russia
III iIOHt OF ms quarters arc couple
OF soldiers. and a small Russian flag
hangs over the door. Nothing could
lead one TO believe that within is the
individual in the palm OF whose hand
lie the fate and movements Of hun
dreds upon hundreds OF thousands of
men, and at whose word a thousand
guns Will waken the echoes with their
metal Threats. In trenches miles
away, stretching through forest and
along hilltops, numberless regiments
and brigades await the curt order from
this building to launch themselves
against the German lines.
The man himself is as quiet and un-
obstrusive as are his Surroundings
Perhaps fifty-eight or ffty-nine years
of age. with a very intellectual face
and an almost shy manner, General
Alexeieff Is currently reported to have
the keenest brain in the Russian field
armies. The STAFF consists OF about
seventy-fve members. If their looks
do not belle them. they are about the
most serious and hard-working men
that one can find in long journey.
While at Warsaw rumors are flying
thick and fast as to German advances
and Russian mishaps. at General
Alexeieff's headquarters everything is
serene and calm. The general opinion
of the staff Is one of optimism, al
though for the moment the Russians
are in the trough OF the sea