East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1918-04-06

NS8Y temporarily in the
A-==z-@=== United States. Mr.
Thomas has lived
for twenty years In Shanghai and has
travelled extensively through China.
Japan and Siberia. He is familiar with
political changes and public sentiment
md with the development of trade aud
commerce in that part of the world.
He is Of the opinion that Japan, with
China's assistance, is dcsirous. above
everything else. Of maintaining the integ-
Tity Of Asia. China, by the way, is
growing stronger all the time. She has
had TO get over her revolution. 1t has
taken tine, just as 1t did in France and
the United States and as it will in Rus
sia, but she is doing it. At present the
integrity of Asia means primarily the
prevention of Germany getting foothold
In Eastern Siberia through the misfor-
tunes OF Russia, where she would be q
menace to China and Japan and hardly
less so to the United States and to the
other Allies Before the war German
had started to entrench herself in the
East and was pushing her interests with
vigor. Her menace ended temporarily
tau and the internment in japan of 5000
Germans taken prisoners there. The
European war has proved that Germany
cannot be depended upon to act fairly
or to keep her word. She is not. there
fore desirable as n near neighbor after
thn war.
Russia, in Siberia. is a very near
neighbor Of Japan's," says Mr.. Thomns
Numerous steamship lines cross from
the various ports in Japhn TO Vladivos-
tok and there are frequent sailings back
and forth, with friendly intercourse and
profitable trade. Russia is a desirable
neighbor. Japan and China and repre-
Reltatives of friendly nations who d1
business n the East like to deal with her.
To Japan. OF course, it is Of the greatest
importance to have Siberia under tn"
authority Of power that can be trusted, |
for not only does she depend upon Vlad- |
ivostok and through it as the terminal
Of the Siberian Railroad for her inter /
course with Europe but glance at the |
map shows that the Siberian maritime |
province fronts the northern part of her |
empire at no great distance across the
Gulf of Tartary The northern part .!
the Island of Sakhalin, too. belongs TO
Russia and the southern part to Japan
bringing in the relationship of the main |
land even closer. The island has valuable
eoal and oil deposits. The mouth Of tho
Amur. which empties into the Gulf OF
Sakhalin, is valuable port which II is
important should be in the hanLs of
people who would not interfere with the
legitimate and fair development Of tho
Cast The Amur River affords means
V traffic with an important district far
into the interior with which there is no
other means of communication.
"'''he Trans-Siberian Railroad, that
oat Of engineering which links
nth Asia with its $500 mile
rograd to Vladlvostok, is the
ary over which passes in times Of
~ interchange of the wares of the |
! vrh the supplies of the West. The |
1, )nrtance of its control cannot be over
Ganted.
Before the war Russia had about
. 100 soldiers in Vladivostob aud along
fh,. line of the railroad bat recently 1t
J. been policed largely by soldiers in
,al;ded from the front and unfit for ac-
SO service. There are no FORTH ions
# any value. 1t is open tn G. hS
any nation of military stIengtli as
interests would be threatened ty an.
friendly power in Vladisostok quite as
much as Japaus. The Siberian railroad
1T NikOlsk. some distance from Nlndi-
yostok, crosses the Chinese territory OF
Nanchuria. Later il recrosses into 81
Aeria and thence on to Petrograd through
ilussian territory. There is branch OF
he railroad from Nikolsk running north
yard and following the border between
liberia and Manchuria and connecting
with n port on the Amrf River.
"At the point where the railroad passes
from Russian into Chinese territory and
back there are custom houses maintained
By 10th governments and military protec-
hon.
'"There are many Americans whose only
hon .eption OF Siharia is n bleak and
kt,,riIe country inhahitrd chiefly by pris-
orsrs and th,it ~ Is hut. in
pats, the Sih"r' traverses
hiEIy pre-" for IN
IN, 90 ..... ng region
eyns ,f Of butter
49,. re the war.
1 I... .,ty of fate