New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-24
Japan TO MAKE
WAR SUPPLIES
FOR RUSSIANS
Will Employ All Resources
to Furnish Allies with
Munitions.

Toxic, Aug. 23.-Believing that the
time has come for more concerted ac-
ton against the Teutonic allies, the
Japanese government has decided to
bend all its efforts toward helping Rus
sia in the war by Increasing the out
put of munitions for that country.
The "Kokumin Shimbun" says to-
day:
premier Okuma states that Japan
has decided to give greater assistance
to Russia to prosecute the war. He
could not discuss details. but allowed
it to be understood that this assist
ance would take the form of the for
warding of greater supplies of muni-
tions.
Count Okuma emphasizes the i'm
practicability and impossibility of dis
patching troops to Europe. but points
out that the great advance in the
capacity of the Japanese to manu-
facture munitions will prove of great
help to the Allies.
"The Premier said Japan plans to
send delegates to the peace conference,
although it is not expected to extend
her sphere of influence to Europe.
"Japan wants Europe to recognize
Japan's supremacy in the Orient he
said"
ha t1at t.
pan has decided to employ all avail
able governmental and private re-
sources for increasing the output of
munitions for the Allies. particularly
Russia.
The position of Russia in regard to
obtaining war supplies has been one
of unusual difficulties. Russian manu-
featuring plants utilized for produc-
tion of guns and ammunition were
manned and directed largely by Ger
mans at the time the war began. The
dispossession of the Germans left the
nation unprepared to operate effective
ly even the limited number of estab-
lishments at her disposal.
A Bureau of Munitions was estab-
lshed and every effort was made to
increase the number of plants and to
train Russians in this work. but it
proved almost a hopeless task.
To obtain guns and shells from the
outside world Russia was dependent
on two routes of communication-from
the north through the port of Arch
angel and from the east. over the
Trans Siberian Railroad. The harbor
of Archangel was blocked by ice most
of the year, and when it was opened
late in the spring the great Austro-
German offensive movement was al
ready under way. Then the crisis in
the relations between Japan and China
became so serious that Japan devoted
her energies to the accumulation of
war supplies for herself. Because Of
these conditions Russia was unable to
procure the required guns and shells
from within or without.
Russian military officers attribute
the lack of ammunition to the rapidity
of the Austro- German advance, stating
that the fall of Warsaw. as well as
the events which preceded it. was
brought on largely by this state OF
affairs.
Advices from Vladivostok several
weeks ago said that great amounts OF
supplies were being received there for
transportation TO the Russian front.
Word was received from Toxic early
this month that Japan had stripped
large coast guns from her fortifcatlons
on tle northeastern coast and had
shipped them TO Vladivostok. Not
withstanding this assistance. the Rus
sian supply OF munitions has fallen
far below the requisite amount.