The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-08-15
Those West of Lake BaikaI Are
Cut OF From Fellows.
1t Is Impossible to Learn What
Is Happening.
JAP TROOPS NOW ON THE WAY?
1t Is Believed They Have En-
tered in Force.
Could Help Quickly Via Port
Arthur and Harbin.

London, Aug. 15.-The Czecho-
Slovaks in Siberia are in a dangerous
position and are liable to be cut off
altogether says the correspondent of
Times at Vladivostok. Only a fraction
of those between the volga in Lake
Baikal are armed and all are deficient
in every sort of equipment.
Cut Off From the East.
They are cut off from the far east
and it is impossible to learn what is
happening to them. The correspon-
dent says there is much apprehension
concerning them in Vladivostok and
adds:
The Czechs here are pathetically
anxious to push west and assist their
brothers They are contemplating
desperate measure in order to reach
them but their force is ridiculously
small compared to their opponents
while they lack most auxiliary equip
ment and are deficient even in the es-
sentials. If it is the allied intention
to hold the rear while the Czechs do
the fighting General Dieterich's small
force might well be annihiIated, but it
is inconceivable that the allies will
refrain from active cooperation, and
that cooperation must be on a larger
scale than hitherto contemplated"
Allied Action Must Be fastened.
LII dIl cOlLOIldI the lines emphasizes
the urgency of fastening allied action.
1t says that the Czechs have been driv-
en- back from the Ussuri front and
also have suffered reverses in eastern
Russian. 1t is imperative, the Times
declares, to send help to western ST.
IBERIA thru Harbin, whence, it says
Lake Baikal ought to be reached in
moderate strength within a reasonable
time.
Japs Already In.
Washington, Aug. 15.-Guarded in
timations are given in well informed
official quarters here that the Japan
ese government already has antici-
pated the need for speedy assistance to
the Czecho Slovaks in Western Si-
IBERIA, who have been almost cut off
from communication with their breth-
rem who constituted the advance guard
of the army which has arrived in the
neighborhood of Vladivostok.
Knowing the limited capacity of the
Siberian railroad in eastern extremi-
ties to transport considerable military
forces and supplies with speed and
realizing the danger of interruption of
such traffic by hostile Bolsheviki and
German-officered elements along the
road in that part of Siberia, it is un-
cerstood the japanese general staff
has planned to strike directly at Lake
Baikal, the most important center of
action on the Siberian railroad.
Go By Way of Harbin.
To accomplish this, while the first
expeditionary forces which may be
landing at Vladivostok headed by
General Otani is operating from there
a considerable number of Japanese
troops already in Manchuria and along
the line of the railroad running north
ward from Darien,. formerly Port
Arthur, are in a position to be speedily
dispatched to Harbin whence they
can be forwarded westward to Lake
Baikal, or can be diverted eastwardly
to open up the section of the Siberian
railroad terminating at Vladivostok.
For military reasons it is impossible
to even hint at the number of troops
that might be available for such SER
vice, but it is recalled that in an ad-
dress delivered last week. Premier
Terauchi stated Japan was prepared
to employ a much larger force than
had been originally contemplated in
Siberia if it should he necessary to
check the activities of the Austro-
German prisoners and the elements
under their control