The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-03-16
Acceptance of Enforced Treaty
by Soviets Not to Be Last
Word of Story
JAPAN MAY ACT
FOR ALLIES IN FAR
EASTERN AREAS
Large Element of SIavs Wholly
Unwilling to Accept Teuton
Domination and May Regard
Intervention as Friendly ACT

Washington. March fs.-The United
states will not abandon It's efforts to
help Russia. The reported vote Of tina
SoVtet's congress to ratify the German
peace treaty does not end the Russian
story.
These two facts stand out as tba
only solid elements tonight In an east
ern situation which is little snort ~
chaoa' There Is one other element
winch tonight appears to be rapidly
crystaliztng. 1t is this:
japan may be the agency through
men the benehcient aims OF the
Lhted states In Russia may be eyer.
cfsed' But II Japans armies advance
into Siberia, she will intervene on tina
aistinct understanding that her action
ls nrst for Russias aid, and second,
for the allied cause in general
Japan, IT is limited In well~a advised
quarters here. will present to ths
United Etates a view of the Siberian
problem calculated amply to Justify
President Wilson In approving the
movement. England. it lis pointed oun
In the public utterances OF Arthur Ball
four and the general expressed seufi-
ments of her press and diplomats, has
already In effect guaranteed to thu
United states that Japan's motives will
be disintsrested.
Under the terms of the German
peace forced upon Russia st the poir.
OF the bayonet. Russia has either lost
Its sovereignty or has become an atty
of Germany. The peace terms SO pro.
vide for German political and COM
mercial permeation of Russia and ara
so stringent against even the express
sion of Russian opinion as to warrant
this suppositson In many minds hers
tonight. The supposition IL borne OUT
by the declarations of Trotzky and the
evidence that no matter how forually
Russia accepts the peace IL is a peace
that can never last. The opinion il
even supported by extracts from he
German liberal press recently received
here which powerfully condemn tbs
policy which they describe as COM
quest on the East.
Japan, according 10 indications, il
prepared to admit that the question es
protecting supplies at vladivostok ami
along the railroad is purely inciden-
tai one. She is further prepared 10
show, backed up by Balfour and all
most the entire mass OF French opinion,
that Germany will continue to advance
through Russia despite the peace
terms, Such an advance would con-
tary. menace both against India ma
against the Far East. Reports of the
organization OF released German pris-
oners In siberia are multiplying here.
II ts the Japanese view that this mem
ace must not be waited
Accordingly there is indication hera
tonight that when Japan does inter-
vene It will be on "A scale far mora
ella borate than at first proposed 1t 10
not beyond hope that considera bio
element OF the Russian people will de-
clare their welcome OF such a move,
in view of the guarantees mentioned
supporting its friendliness.
The dApartrenf TODAY rersivaN
a message from Consul General Sur-
mers at Moscow telling of the receipt
of the presidents message to the Sow
lets and of it's delivery to the congress.
The message did not indicate how
il had been received or whether II had
been factor in the vote on the peace
| ratification reported by the press cables
today.
The department is without confirms.
tion OF these press cables. There IL
considerable opinion that while the re-
ported vote of ass to 30 indicates Inv
| fallibly that the congress will ratify
the peace treaty, such ratification. as
a matter OF fact has not yet actually
| occurred. The vote, II Is considered
| possibly, may have been the decision
of the Bolsheviki caucus. There 10 10
! indication in the result shown Of ths
| influence OF the Menshiviki and other
! factions violently opposed to ratifiea-
4
able to muster more than thirty votes
| Germany Is generally accepted -
have overplayed her hand in Russia.
Such an everyday is conceded to havA
| been forced by her dire necessity for
| the consolidation of the food provinces.
But. 1t Ia pointed out. she has gained
these provinces at the cost OF being
compelled constantly to extend her
military efforts.
| There Is another factor counted as
| OF value in japanese intervention. II
will compel Germany to maintain her
eastern forces on a plan not necessf-
tatad by the Russian situation In IT.
| self.
| As to Just what the Russian situs-
| tion is or will be, no one here tonight
ventures an opinion. Officials express
themselves as confident of only onA
factor--whether the Soviets act as tina
president would have had them act.
This factor is that there will be 4
huge sentiment In Russia both among
| the Radicals and the Conservatives
never amenable to the terms of the
German peace. II the Japanese inter-
vention can be represented to these
people as a friendly move 1t is the only
way In which the United States can
fulfli the presidents promise to CONS
to the aid of the distraught and bessk
country.