Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-05-09
japanese Action in
Russia Is Expected
Within a Short Time

we are on the eve of decisive aC.
tlon by Japan in the Far East. For
weeks her army and her navy have
peen ready. rhe first moves haze
already been made. Still greater acf,
VIII soon follow writes f. A. Mac
henzle, author of "Tokia to Titles
and The Tragedy of Korea"
The idea generally entertained in
Europe is that the powerful jana
nese Army, which is intact and which
since the capture of Tsingtau has
taken no part in the war. is to ad-
vance through Siberia and attack the
germans on their eastern Eurouean
front, This is wrong.
rom Il military point of view it
'd I've 20 dangerous that unless
there were a considerable Russian
! 1" in the field ready to Cooper
ate with the Japanese, we could not
reasonably ask oul eastern ally 20
attempt it,
No one can say definitely what
Japan and the allied governme Is
will decide to do. All that can be
told is what the Japanese people
themselves are expecting. They ask
that the japanese army shall take
possession of Russian Siberia and lie
Amur province, including the port of
Nladivostok and the great boom city
of the East Harbin. This includes
one of the richest and most fertile
areas in the world. with potential
wealth in mines and soil greater
probably than in any other area Of
similar extent anywhere. 1t is to-
day part of the new Siberian repub-
lie which has It's capital at Omsk.
The occupation of these places
VIII bring Japan little nearer the
ighting front in Europe than she is
at the present time. The distance
between Harbin and the war in Eu-
ropean Russia is as far from West
ern Canada to London. Much of the
country is desolate and trackless,
save for occasional post roads and
single railway.
1T is unsafe, the Japanese urge, 10
allow a German dominated Russia
| to impinge on their bo/Sers. Their
vital interests are at stage. 1t would
! Je bad for the allied cause to allow
the wealth and material of this great
area to come under German infiu-
| ence. Some Japanese speakers 20
further. Mr.. Imukai, president of the
political party, Kokuminto, recently
urged that Japan should retain pos
| session of a slice of Siberia in pay
ment for Russia's debt to her OF
| E22. 000,0 600. Others think like hun.
The advance of Japan against
Harbin will be something more than
a measure for the protection of
| threatened Japanese interests in the
Far East 1t will be the beginning of
fresh era in the worlds history, one
fraught with a possibility of greater
changes to East and West than even
the momentous DAYS of August, 1914
when Europe sprang to arms.
Japan is our ally, and will
doubtless take whatever step she
does take after full conference with
Britain, France and the United
States. If Japan has determined that
SUch an advance in Siberia is neces--
sary for her own interests, we can
not prevent it even should we desire
| to do so. What we can do, however
| is to participate in it and to insure
! as far as possible ahead that what
action is taken is purely a measure
| for protection.
Let whatever step is taken be
| taken Jointly. The one ally marked
| out for any protection measures con-
| sidered necessary in Manchuria and
| Siberia is America. A joint Amer
! ican-Japanese expedition for the set
| tlement of disturbances in AsiatiC
! Russia and the protection of allied
| interests there would be ideal. And
/ if the move could be made in CO.
| operation and even at the request oi
an influential section of the Russian
! people, the best evidence would ther
| be afforded that we were acting not
| in opposition to our ally, Russia, but
! to help her with all the strength al
our command"