South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-07-20
VLADIVOSTOK IS
QUIET He SAYS
American Mission Secretary
Says IrCompetenCy of Old
Regime Will Disappear.

TOXIC, July 2O.-E. J. Harrison
OF Toxic who accompanied the
American railroad commission 10
Vladivostok as assistant secretary
and who has returned 20 Japan.
says that the reports Of disorders
at Vladivostok were greatly exag-
gerated, if not. indeed. entire mis-
representations. He found the city
absolutely tranquil.
In place of the former police. the
city is in the hands OF the new mill
tia, largely recruited from the mill
tary. 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 abandon
ment, exposed 10 the elements. and
assuredly in danger Of damage and
deterioration. Mountains Of shells
plantations Of cotton. army supplies
Of every imaginable description bore
mute witness. he said. 10 the incom-
petence OF the old regime
Mr.. Harrison heard stories of oc-
casional high-handed action on the
part Of the local garrison. He was
told that in some cases officers oc-
cuping government quarters had
been turned out by the soldiers or
at least compelled 70 limit them
selves 10 only ? portion of the orig
inal space, the balance being taken
no hxv a - a
men in the streets perfectly sober
and we'll behaved. The officers. on
the other hand, no longer able TO
demand the former salute. seemed
10 wear a somewhat subdued air.
One Class Pessimistic.
A naval lieutenant whom he met
at dinner spoke very bitterly and
pessimistically Of the new conditions
as affecting the army officers. and
declared that ne and many others
were only awaiting the conclusion of
the war in order 10 quit the SER
vice for good.
Mr. Harrison went on: The at
titude reflected by the Russian lieu
tenant just quoted is characteristic
Of a certain class OF Russian. who
can see nothing but ruin and disas-
ter confronting his country. Per
sons OF this type are firmly convinc-
ed that, sooner or later. Japan will
take possession Of Vladivostok and
probably the whole Of the Almur
province. And Of course they credit
the recent rumor that Japan is pre-
pairing q coerce and discipline Rus
STA in case the latter weakens be-
yond a certain point or should there
arise the spectre Of a separate peace
Wild Yards have been circulated
about the concentration OF the Jap
anese troops at Mukden."
Describing the reception of the
Stevens commission by the council
Of workmen's and soldiers dele
gates. Mr.. Harrison, who knows the
Russian language, said:
Perhaps because most typical OF
the new democratic order the vivid
impression was made upon my mind
by the remarks Of the military rep
resentative Of the council, a soldier
who formerly had kept a small shoT
somewhere in VladivOstok Without
a tremor and with all the aplomt
Of a seasoned orator, this man made
an address saying in effect that
heretofore a barrier had been SCI
up by the Russian autocracy be
tween the Russian democracy and
the democracies Of the west. This
barrier. however. had at last beer
torn down by the heroism Of the
Russian people. who could now
stretch out a hand OF hearty greet
ing 70 their comrades in other lands
Mr.. Stevens in every case made apt
and happy replies.
Must Have Cars.
The time in Nladivostok was spent
in studying terminal problems al
first hand. Taken out in tug-boat
the visitors viewed the two large
naval dry-docks and the general
comhguration of the harbor in its
relation 10 questions of railway
transport. on the following day they
were conveyed by special train to
/ Pervaya Rechka (frst river 20 60
over the car-assenb bling shops. II
did not need an expert 10 see that
the Vladivostok terminus is suffer
| ing from an acute shortage Of cars
which America can do much tc