Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-08-17
CRAFTY POLITICAL GAME PLAYED IN FAR EAST
With GROWTH OF AN EMPIRE .PUT.UP AS STAKE

surprise among students or far east
ern politics. During the last few years
Japan's activities in South Manchuria
have hteL such as Il tat,sc 4 VII"
spread belief that she was preparing
to annex that territory. When Korea
was annexed both Chinese and for
eign students of the far east said tina:
the annexation of South Manchuria
would be the next step in the expan
sion of Japan. When the Chinese rev
olution broke out there were many
who prophesied that Japan and Rus
STA would annex their respective
spheres in Manchuria under the pre-.
text of maintaining order.
Active in Mongolia. r.
The activities OF Russia and Japan
have not been confined to Manchuria.
Their merchants and political agents
have pushed into Mongolia and have
courted the friendship of the descend.
ants OF the khans. When the
outer Mongolians declared their in
dependence last December lit was
generally believed that they did
rso instigated by the Russians. When
a few days later, the Russian
government informed the Chinese
that she would not consent to
China's sending any armies or colon
lists to outer Mongolia the conviction
became fixed in the minds of many OBJ
servers that Russia was planning to
annex outer Mongolia, 1t seemed that
Chisa was about to lose both Man
churia and Mongolia, ....- .....
Just when everybody was, speculat-
ing as to what would be the probable
GATE of the annexation of Manchuria
and Mongolia there was a volte face
in Russia's Far Eastern policy. With
out any apparent reason Russia sud-
denly announced that she had no ul.
terror motives with regard to Mon.
golia. This attitude was announced
not only by the Russian minister in
Pekin but by the Russian minister of
foreign affairs, Mr.. Sa7anoff. In his
speech to the duma on April ,26 he
spoke strongly against the establish.
ment of this territory as an indepen-
dent buffer state. He pointed out the
unfitness of Mongolia for independ-
ence and stated that it would be
Russia's policy to mediate between
the Chinese and Mongolians with a
view to bringing about an arrange
Inent which would lead to a reinstate-
nent of China's suzerainty in outer
Mongolia. This statement of policy
conformed in every particular with
that which high Russian officials in
Pekin had given exclusively to the
correspondent of the Daily News a
few days previously and which was
cabled to the Daily News on April %.
Reason for Change.
+. What was the reason for this sud
den change of policy on the part Of
Russia? Why did she, after having
encouraged the outer Mongolians to
declare their independence, suddenly
announce her intention of acting as
mediator between outer Mongolia and
China with a view to bringing about
6 reinstatement of China's suzerain-
ty? There can hardly be any, doubt
that Prof. Tomizu's article published
early in April advocating the annexa-
ton of SoIh Manchuria convinced
the Russia-k that there was strong
expansionary movement on foot in
Japan and this conviction caused the,
Russians to relinquish their plans for
& forward policy in Mongolia. 1t is
apparent that they became convinced
that if Russia should annex outer
Mongolia Japan would follow her ex-
ample and annex South Manchuria-
Such a move would make Japan pre-
a continental power in
Eastern Asia In such an event all
Russia's projects for eastward expan-
sion would be more than endangered;
they would be rendered impossible.
By seizing South Manchuria Japan
would place herself within striking
distance of the South Manchurian rail
road and would be in a position to]
cut Russia off from her maritime pro-
vinces and from the Pacific.
Having established herself in South
Japan would also be in a
position to secure inner or southern
Mongolia and thus push her continen-
tai empire between Russia and China.
Japan would then be in position to
cut Russia off from any approach to-
the Pacific. She would be thrown
right across the great road FROM Urga
to the Gulf of Pechii, which late
years. appealed to the Immigration OF
Russian expansionists. Japan would