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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 10, 1909)
D 1IJ Yellow Giant Awakens at Last to the Use of His Enormous Strength THE OMAHA SUNDAY BEE: OCTOBER 10, 1909. SOI w f Ur (Copyright. ir. by Frank O. Carpenter) VCHANO. l (Special torrt- T A f I spondence 01 in nw.)-in Vfl I bltcgest army of the world has I n. li kffimiin tit llll fht awakening empire of China. It already numbers l."0 003 trained soldiers. Two year from now It v III have OC.O00 and within twenty-fKe yurs, If It (or ahead as d.d thst of Japan, It will have B.OOO.'tt) a peace fuotlns and 10.0no.fln0 In times of war. Such an army Is not a dre.im of the opium pip-. It la a live posetbilttv. and It seema lexs Improbable than did the present army of Japan Iwenty-f.v yearn ai-o. The Japanese army ben Ha crea tion In 15?2. On a peace footing ft ruiw number 000, nno, and IU war strength Is close to a million. Today, one Japanese In every elfchty Is serving as a soldier and at a pinch one in wiry forty can be thrown Into tho field. China la already In advance of tha Japan nf a quarter of a century nito. Her soldiers are no beir.j trained hy the best of forrlsin military talent. They are armed with modern weapons and thtlr orsanlr.utinn la on the lines which have brought up tha army of Japan. The military system of .I:pan came from Germany. That of China l the same, with Japanese Improvement Let ua contrait the China of the future with the Germany of the preueut. The Germans keep 1 per cent of their whole 60.000.on0 under arms, and In times of war they could put 5 per cent of them Into the field. Their peace army la fiOOOOO and their war strength more than 3.)00. 0W. In the same ratio China, with Its 400,000.000, will keep 1.000.000 soldiers In time of peace and will be able to mus ter 80.000,000 in times of war. I repeat: These re not vislona. Tha yellow giant is al ready In the gymnasium. He ia swinging dumbbells and Indian clubs under the beat of model n , physical directors. He Is out on the drill Kround practicing tha goose ttp and learning to ahoot. China's Xir Array. I had a long chat last night with a high military authority who Is stationed In Peking. Ha la a trained officer of one of the great European powers, who has been aent here to investigate what China ia doing. It la his bualnesa to keep track of the military forces of the empire, to visit them In their camps and attend their tua-. neuvers. He has Just returned from sham battles between two of the armies on the Yang-Tse-Klung, and Is full of the changes which are going on In military matters all over this empire, Said he: "The growth of China's army la fast be coming a serious problem, and It Is one which Is bound to trouble the world In the future. You can have no idea of the situa tion without going from province to prov ince. The central government has ordered each viceroy or governor to create one or more army divisions. In addition, one has been assigned to Manchuria and another to Chinese Turkestan. The reorganization Is going on after a scheme laid down by Yuan Sli.h Kai and others In liK Yuan mght be called the father of the new army. His scheme started In with X).000 men. In 1903 uvei lOO.OuO were drilling, and the enroll- Their BROWNT5 BStSS BAUM. Special - ' V "V , i ' - . a . t ' Louisa Lord. Marion Ualler. Gladys nien will soon be double that number. It already comprises twelve divisions of mors than 1100(1 each, and It will eventually be Increased to thirty-six divisions, or about ILD.ono. This number should be under arms by trm end of It will be divided Into two armies; one of the north and one of tha south." I'klarie Ulriatnn. "What Is the character of China's new army?" I asked "Practically ( the same as that of the army of Japan. The troops have Japanese military text books, and thry use tha sans physical exorcists, the same sanitary meth ods and the same dilll. As to the division, tiiey are constituted In the same way. Bach has four regiments of Infantry, one of cuvalry and one of artillery, la addition o; !. division has a battalion of engineer and transport troops, a balloon and tele graph section, as well as a company de voted to kanitary work. It number) all told li.aVl men, including officers, soldiers, clerks, employes and servants of all kinds." "Are such divisions already organised In all of the provliicrs?" "No. Hu: they have been bgun In every province and thev are actually In operation in about three-fourths of them, t'rotne provinces, such as Chthll and Kzcchwnn, have three divisions of armlea of 6.000 men each, while others, such as Honun, Shansl and Cbeklnng, have only one." Officers. I asked here as to the ti lining of the troops, and the military expert replied: "The most of the drilling la done by Chinese who hnve been educnted abroad, although a few of the viceroys and gov ernors have Japanese or German offtoera In their employ. However, foreigners ar used chiefly In the military schools, the actual details of organization being carried out by the Chinese themselves. This coun try has now many graduates of foreign military academies, and It Is snm:V!y sending more and more army sttiuVnt abroad. There are thirty Chinese studying In such schools In France, six In Germany, two In England and two at West Point. Many are being educated In Japan, and there are several thousand graduates now In the service. The young Chinese began to go abroad for military Instruction as soon as the Boxer trouble was over. The majority of them went to Japan, choosing that country for several reasons. One waa the forbearance and kindness of the Japa nese troops during the rebellion, am) an other Japan's proxlm'ty to China. The fact that education there costs less was a great Inducement, as was also the Japa nese language, which Is so allied to the Chinese that these people learn It more easily than any other. It ia for this reason that they have adopted Japanese text books, which are now being translated Into Japanese, China's MHItnry Schools. "Tell me something about China's mili tary schools." "They are now to be found In every province and in every large city. The government scheme provides for a pro- Majesties, Ak-Sar.Bfcn XV and His Queen Maids of Honor . a " l Peters. Hilda Hamrnet. rJe Aycrtgg. Mtrtaa. Patereon. Elisabeth Ccmgdon, Louisa Peek, OMAHA BOCXETY GIRLS WHO ATTENDKLI THE WL'EEN. V , a. v..,'- f ) . jr.' 1 s i - ' v i vV. YUAN 8HIH KAI. Father of China's New Army. 'incial military school at the capital o each province and an academy at every one of the larger cities. The provincial schools might be called the primary mill- tary schools and the aoademles the sec ondary or high schools. In addition there la to be a military university, ur war col lege, ut Peking." "Tbse schools are first-class, and are run a'ong modern lines," the expert went on. "I visited on ths other day at Han kow, about 600 miles from the sea ip the Yangtze river. The school there has 1.009 students, and buildings have been put up to accommodate 3.000. The pupils are bright young soldiers, detailed by the regimental commanders of the forces at Hankow. TUy range In age from IS to 'H, and enter thi schcot for a course ol three yara. They are wetual soldiers who live In the bar racks and who go through their regular drill although they put In several hours very day In the school. Tbey are the ARTHUR to Her Majesty the r w ' " ' ' ' 1 t i, 'l ; ' ' I i ' 'If r-. -0 v .;. Ightest young men of that army and are lng educated to become the officers of the future. Those who rank hlsrhtat will be given the best places and put In com mand, while the others will teach In pri mary military schools. When the acade mies are alarted the best of the graduates will be admitted there, and they will not be app '.tinted as offioera until they have gone through them. The present scheme contemplates four of such military acade mies. They will correspond to West Point and will p:obably be located at the chief cities of Ciilhli, Hupeh, Klangsu and S-hensi." Great War Catleae at Peklas;. "How about the military unlverelty?" "That wUI be at Peking. It will be modeled on the same plans as your new War College in Washington, and will give the highest class of instruction. It will deal with military problems of all kinds C. SMITH. ; Queen of Ak-Sar-Ben XV f- . ... I 1 A'-,. T X A Fiance Nash. Alloe Carey McOrew. v- ..... i - - ...Ii "... -, , , , - PART and of army organization on the broadest scale The buildings have already been o-tnsiructed. Tbey are connected with the bt-partnurit of War and cover several sores. Ths War college and the War Pe paitment together have about the largest . modern buildings erected since the Boxer rebellion." " "In addition to these military schools," continued the colonel, "every one of the new public schools In all parts of the empire In drilling Its students. The gov ernment requires that the boys have uni forms and that they be taught military tactics. The lit tie 8-yenr-olds and 10-year-olds are put through their mili tary evolutions on certain days every week, and all practice athletics and phys ical trulninp. In some schools this training is superintended) by officers de tailed from the garrisons nearby, and In others by Chinese, teachers edttcated In the military s"hools at home and abroad. In this way every Chinese schoolboy Is belnir fitted to enter the army and a vast amount, of excellent material Is In process of creation." $ Soldiers BevuiuinsT Respected. "Has any change taken place In the opinion of the Chinese as regards the military profession?" "Yes. A great change. UntU now the soldier has belonged to the lowest claaa of society. The celestials have always held four grades of respectability. At the top are the scholars who have studied or passed the examinations. To this class largely belong the officials, and teachers and writers nf every kind. The second highest class embraces all who have tot do with tilling the soil; the farmers and gardeners. After them come the me chanics, and still further down the seal the merchants and tradesmen, with the Dorothy Uorgaa. Ruth Iftoorheed. r-h:l':. If ?t ) ' -v o a 7 i . i , . ; .s,' . . .... '-'. .. ;' J- - .. OF CHIrJA'S FUTURE ARMY OF TWENTY MILLION& NEW CHINESE CAVALRY IN THE FIELD. CAMP AT THE RECENT YANGTSB MANEUVERS. soldier lowest of all. Today the soldier Is better paid and the government at Peking baa so elevated his standing that the army Is now looked upon as a desirable profession. Many of the younger sons of the best families are being sent abroad to be trained for service, and many are In the army and naval schools here. A military school for the sons of nobles has been established at Peking. We had eighty-eight of Its students at . the man euvers. They were all noble, and among them were many of the sons of the high net officials. The military training In the common schools la also raising the social standing of the soldiers, and, as tha army Krows In size and Importance, China may develop a military aristocracy such as now exists In Germany and Japan." China's Military Kqalpseeat. "How are the soldiers armed?" "They have modern weapons, although not always of the latest pattern. The regulations as to such things are Issued at Peking, but the arms are selected and paid for by 'local governors, and they are bought at the lowest rates. There Is un doubtedly fraud In many of the purchases; but the government sends out its Inspectors to examine the army equipment, and, on the whole, the weapons are effective. Of those now In use, the most came from Germany, but many are from Japan. The Japanese guns are of tha latest patterns, and of excellent make. As a rule the Mauser rifle Is used. It Is Intended that the arms and ammunition shall eventually all be standariaed." "Does China use any American guru?" "I think not: I have seen none In the camps I hava visited. Your arms are too costly." "Are tb various divisions under the con trol of the governor who create them?" "Yes. but all are subordinate to Peking and may be directed from the capital. The foroes of the viceroys are becoming more and more a part of a large combination, and In time they will form one army. As It la now they are rather a bunch of small armies than one compact homogeneous or ganisation. This Is necessitated through, their being supported by the provincial governments. When the Imperial revenue system has been reorganized, as It will be some day, the celestial government will decrease." Well Pal4 Soldiers. "What wage do- the troops get?" "Comparatively speaking, they are well paid. They are now receiving more than the soldiers of Europe, and In considera tion of the low cost of living and the wages of the other classes of society they receive almost as much as your men at home. Tbe Anwrlcan private receives about 46 cents a day, or 113 a month. The lowest private here gets 12 cents a day and a clothing allowance. Sergeants receive about 13.73 a month, lieutenants f.n.r0 and captains Ho, with au allowance for enter tslnlug. The nutjor of the Chinese battalion la paid 100 taela, or IT6, monthly, and he has In addition 140 taeU, with 300 taels extra, and a general rommandlng a division has W taels, with an allowance of 600 taels. This gives the general 1.000 taels monthly, or about 760 American dollars. That is IMO00 a year. It is not at all bad." "How about the drill of tbe army? And la it being made Into an effective force?" "The drill Is excellent, and that Is so In every division 1 have visited. The men go through their evolutions as well as any troop 1 have sewn.. As to shooting, they have not had much practice at that. Am munition oost heavily, and so far the army has not had enough money to spend a great deal en target practloe." "Xpeaklng of their effectiveness, while the Chinese soldiers are not as efficient, luaa to man, as the European or Japanese; 1L 1! ' ' ' ' """ 4 ,..'.3.,.ii ii ..;.' , . ' ' ' . ."' ,.' v. j ''-' ,J- r' " ; - soldier, yet they are rapidly Improving; and I see no reason why they should not beoome so. They have proved themselvea effective In suppressing all Internal dis orders that have recently arisen. This means that the government has already In Its hands what It has never had before, and that Is a machine for the Immediate Quelling of a rebellion. Tt also mean that the government will soon be la the position to do as It pleases, and that It will be able to regulate a taxation and revenua system for the whole empire. When that time comes we shall hava a new China indeed. Government Haelltnar Rebellions. "There Is nothing that has done so much to make the army popular as the two or three rebellions which have been put down by the new troops within the last two years. The railroads have enabled the soi-dk-rs to be quickly sent to the seat of trouble, and possible revolution have been lamped out in their beginning. There was one such rebellion on the western border of Shantung about a year and a half ago. The government telegraphed tret array commanders at Hankow, at.d. by tin tlan-kow-Peklng railroad, an effective foro was soon on the ground. It was only a year ago that a rebellion waa put down Ua Yunnan by the foreign trained troops, and last November a revolution which would have Involved all China was nipped In tha bud at Anklng on the Yangtse. That waa perhaps the most serious trouble that ha faced the new China, but It was queeled by means of the telegraph and the army, backed by a governor who had nerve enough to use them. Indeed. I think It safe to say that from now on China can control Its own people; that the beginning of a well organized empire has been mad and that It will soon be well under way." How One Governor ' Save Chlea. Since my talk with this man I have learned more about the rebellion at Anklng. It took place at the time of the deaths of tbe emperor and the empress dowager, and had tt not been for the prompt action of the governor of Anhul It would have In volved China In a civil war that might have been njual to the Talplng rebellion, In which 30,000.000 were killed and whole prov inces were ruined. It would have probably caused tha killing of many of our mission aries, and would have put China far back on Its march of civilization if, indeed, It had not resulted In the breaking up of the empire and Its division among the foreign powers. Thla rebellion waa planned by a large secret society that had sworn to drive out the Manchus as soon as the great emprets duwaiter died. The society had ixrsuaded two of the modern battal ions to start the rebellion. They were to seize the city of Anklng, and then two regiments of Infantry were to Join them. At the same time they thought the whole province of 12,000,000 would come to tbelr support and that the revolution would be extended to all parts of the country. This rebellion actually started, but It was pre vented by the energy, courage and re sourcefulness of the governor of Anhul, a protege of Yuan Bhlh Kal, who Rt , Anklng at the time. He had learned "t te plot and prepared for It. How Heuelllojf Waa Quelled. Anklng is a walled city, ami the k'" are closed at nightfall. The mutineers had caused fires to break out In their barricks, expecting that the fire companies of the city would be sent out to extinguish tliem and that they could rush through the gn" lf thus opened, and take the town. There a vast deal of ammunition in the armoi v. and thla would have sufficed for the stait of the rebellion. The governor had given special order tCoullnued oa Pag Three.) 1 MMM M.iim.Mtimii: J