Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-07-14
AMERICANS
IMPRESSIONS OF III
RUSSIAN SITUATION

ASSOCIATED Press Correspondence
Toxic, June BE. ]. Harrison of
Toxic, who accompanied the American
railroad commission to Nladivostok as
assistant secretary and who has re-
turned to Japan. say that the reports
of disorders at Nladivostok were great
ly exaggerated, if not, indeed, entire
misrepresentation. He found the city
absolutely tranquil.
In place of the former police, the city
is in the hands of the new militia,
largely recruited from the military.
The most disquieting symptom from a
military standpoint was the terrible
congestion of freight Of all kinds.
Cases of machinery lay about all over
the place in utter abandonment, eX-
posed to the elements. and assuredly in
danger of damage and deterioration.
Mountains Of shells, plantations Of cot
ton, army supplies of every imaginable
description bore mute witness, he said,
to the incompetence of the old regime.
Mr.. Harrison heard stories of occa-
sional high-handed action on the part
of the local garrison. He was told that
in some cases officers occupying Gov
eminent quarters had been turned out
by the soldiers or at least compelled
TO limit themselves to only a portion of
the original space, the balance being
taken over by the men. He found the
men in the streets perfectly sober and
well behaved. The officers, on the
other hand, no longer able to demand
the former salute. seemed to wear a
somewhat subdued air.
A naval lieutenant whom he meet at
dinner spoke very bitterly and pessi-
unsteady of the new conditions as af-
fecting the army officers, and de-
clared hat he and many Others were
only awaiting the conclusion of the
war in order to quit the service for
good.
Mr.. Harrison went on: "The attitude
reflected by the Russian lieutenant
just quoted is characteristic of a GER
tain class of Russian who can see
nothing but ruin and disaster confront
ing his country. Persons of this type
are firmly convinced that, sooner or
later. Japan will take possession of
Nladivostok and probably the whole Of
the Amur province. And of course
they credit the recent rumor that
ca 10 PICpoi iIlS W COeTce ana QlS-
cipline Russia in case the latter weak
n beyond a certain point or should
there arise the spectre of a separate
peace. Wild yarns have been circu-
lated about the concentration of the
Japanese troops at Mukden."
Describing the reception of the
Stevens commission by the Council of
Workmen's and Soldiers Delegates.
MIR. Harrison, who knows the. Russian
language. said:
Perhaps because most typical of the
new democratic order the most vivid
impression was made upon my min
by the remarks of the military repre-
sentative of the Council, a soldier who
formerly had kept a small shop some
where in N~ladivostok. Without a
tremor and with all the aplomb of a
seasoned orator, this mar made an adj
dress saying in effect that heretofore a
farrler had been set up by the Russian
autorcracy between the Russian
democracy and the democracies of the
West. This barrier, however, had at
last been torn down by the heroism of
the Russian people, who could now
stretch out 2 hand of hearty greeting
to their comrades in other lands. Mr..
stevens in every case made ant and
happy replies.
The time in Vladivostok was spent
n studying terminal problems at first
hand. Taken out in a tug-boat the
visitors viewed the two large naval
drE-docks and the general comigura-
ton OF the harbor in it's relation to
Questions Of railway transport. On
the following day they were conveyed
by special train to Pervaya Rechka
(First River) to go over the car-as
sembling shops. 1t did not need an
expert to see that the V~ladivostok
terminus is suffering from an acute
shortage of cars which America can
do much to remedy.
An agreement was reached. the
commission undertaking to have some
thing like 10000 cars delivered at the
rate of 10000 monthly. after the lapse
of sixty days.