THE BEAR V. MONKEY STRUGGLE. Monkey Still on Top.

Free Lance, Volume IV, Issue 201, 7 May 1904, Page 6

THE BEAR Y. MONKEY STRUGGLE. Monkey Still on Top.

OUR little brown ally m the East —the Jap— is still busy opening the eyes of the war critics, and at the same time knocking conceit out of the Russian giant. It is a pretty lively object-lesson of the ability of the small, paper-clad soldiers of the Mikado to give a good account of themselves in conflict with the large and powerful soldiers ol the Czar. Ever since Japan pounded at the Port Arthur squadion in the dark, Russia has been preparing to "strike a blow worthy of the might and dignity of the Russian Empire/ All along the line, the little fellows, whose navy is patterned on our own, but who, nevertheless, have scarcely seen modern British warships m action, have won victories not only on account of their great technical skill and imitative smartness, but because they have learned hv the experiences and mistakes of othei navies in the past what to avoid. The Jap took his war very seriously. He told the world that he believed he had bitten off quite as much as he was able to chew. On the other hand, the Russians confidently asserted that some day God and the Czar would arise and sweep the little brown man and his tuneful toys off the sea — and went to sleep. • • • The dignity and might of the Slavs don't worry the Japs worth a cent They have used the concentrated essence of the experiences of all navies m their struggle The Japanese navy is new, and "a new broom sweeps clean When the Japanese navy is run on lines that insists that a naval officer is a good seaman, tactician, engineer, and warrior because his grandfather was a First Class Cherry - Blossom of the Sky - blue Order, ennobled by the Mikado for presenting a million yen to the Debilitated Chrysanthemum Fund, some other navy will step out and hck it. In the meantime, every officer is devoted to his calling. • » • Now, we are astonished to hear that the little brown man, having met the might of the Czar's artillery, horse, and foot, serves the land forces to a sample of his shore fighting capabilities, and scores as surely as he did previously on the sea Not a military critic who wouldn't have backed the Bear. The Russians the ether day were telling the world how anxious they were that "the insolent foe" would come out into the open. Well, the insolent foe has come out in the open all right, and chased the Czar's booted and mail-clad battalions for ten miles— which is probably the longest "charge" in history • • * In the face of what has occurred, and the extraordinary success of both arms of the Japanese forces, it u>, of course, easy enough for armchair or street-corner generals to prophesy the fall of the "Muscovite, the rule of the Jap m Manchuria, Korea —and elsewhere The lesson we have to learn from the Jap's ready use of the past experiences of others is, "be ye also ready." It might have occurred to you that the Japs make very excellent servants. You've wondered what sort of masters they would make, have you? If

they can "wallop" the Muscovite whom couldn't they wallop? It is up to us to be ready for emergencies.