RUSSIA'S ARMY

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2283, 17 October 1914, Page 8

RUSSIA'S ARMY

WELL LED AND WELL FED,

In estimating tho Russians as a fighting Power it must be. remembered (says' tho Petrbgrad correspondent of the "Morning Post") that this is the first time in the memory of man that Russian troops have ever taken the field with- adequate, equipment and a sufficiency of supplies, of ,evory kind, .under officers trained on the hard lessons so thoroughly, learnt in the Japaneso campaign. The world knows well what .Russian soldiers, have done 'in tho past under every possible disad.vantagq to which soldiery can be subjected: officers savouring rather of the Asiatic than the.European in their handling of men, weapons ' hopelessly behind tho times, powder of inferior quality, and short supplies. Barefoot, in lags, starving for days and weeks, tho Russian soldier has never, in tho least successful of his campaigns,; failed to win the respect of his enemies and of all observers who are able to appreciate elomental soldierly qualities. Today, for the first time in modern history, wo sco the Russian soldier well armed, well fed, well equipped, fighting in a cause ho understands, with the heart of his nation behind him, under officers trained in a hard aiid very recent school, led by a, member of tho Imperial House, who is not subjected to the petty irritations of Court opposition or intrigues. To us here in Russia, who havo watched her development for many years past and seen and felt tho spirit of the nation 111 this war, thero is no explanation needed of tho Russian forces having defeated thoso of Germany. The German army has been accepted as a model for the military scienco of tho world, which is inclined to forgot that war is not mi exact science, but depends upon tho manhood of the nation, which is never got out of books nor on parade grounds.