Mexico Missouri message., 1918-03-14
news review OF
THE PAST Week
Japan Offers to Land Troops in
Siberia If Allies Say the
Word.
.EMDASSIESLEAV PETUOGRAD
Travelling Through eandit-Infested ST.
IBERIA to Reach Safety--Austria
Cannot Break Away From Her
Alliance With Germany.

Japan has asked for permission to
land troops i'll Siberia to prevent the
vast quantities of munitions and 9th
er military stores at Vladivostok and
along the lines of the Siberian rail-
road from falling into the hands Of
the Germans. 1t was feared that the
Germans might attempt to force the
bOlsheviki to deliver these stores to
the Germans as a part of peace
agreement. Japan announced her will
lingness to undertake such an eXpe-
dition by herself or in connection with
troops sent by other of the allied ma
tiOns.
While all officials at Washington are
silent and disposed to minimize dis
cussion of the subject it is known that
! exchanges of opinion are going on with
! the object of perfect understanding
( between Japan, the United States and
! the other co-belligerents which would
make the plan of joint action wholly
| acceptable to all and thoroughly define
| its extent and duration.
Russian representatives at Washing
ton oppose action by the japanese in
/ Siberia hut the co-belligerents are thor
! oughly alarmed lest the vast quantities
of supplies piled up at Nladivostok,
| bought and paid for with American
cash, should fall into the hands of the
Germans.
Criticism at home of the failure of
Japan to play a larger part in the war
| Il {y,A fol i,,h hgT TU
ing about the negotiations.
Our boys have had their first taste
of the deadly Hun gas. Without warn
ing of any kind gas shells began burst
ing among the men of an American ar
tillery regiment on the western front,
and more than 200 men were down be-
for they could put on gas masks. Eight
men died within few minutes and 200
were taken to hospitals where they suf-
fered every conceivable torture while
the doctors worked over them in an
effort to get air into their lungs. While
the American troops in France have
been supplied with gas equipment and
with gas shells for the field guns they
manders feeling that they could not
bring themselves to so violate all evi
dences of civilization by such a method
Of warfare. The gassing of American
troops has, however, convinced OuI
commanders at the front that they
must fight the Hun in his own way
brutal and inhuman though that way
may be, and the BOches will be giver
a taste of their Gown weapons.
The strain between Austria and Ger
many is undoubtedly increasing. Aus
trials refusal TO again attack Russia II
spite of Germany's renewal of the wal
against the hOlsheviki has increased th'
, tenseness of the situation existing be
tween The two governments, and 1t wal
repEted that Germany had PRACTICAL.
ordered the Austrian government I,
{ send troops into Russia, and that Aus
tria had refused. Austria also refuse
; to continue the war against Roumanij
so long as there is possibility of con
r Guiding a peace arrangement with tina
l nation. Poor Roumania, cut off frOr
r every possible source of assistanc
r from the outside, without munitions o
3 adequate guns can seemingly do moth
i ing more than accept such peace term
= as thes Huns may offer.
3 The most encouraging thing for tn
future Of both ROumRnla and Russi
9. Is the statement made for the allie
! governments to the effect that an
naace that may be forced upon thes
: two countries by the TeutOnic nation
8 will not be considered as final, and pal
ticularly so If such a peace involves tn
session of any territory to the natior