Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-02-28
JAPANESE ASK
SIBERIAN MOVE
[Continued from First Page.l

lCOntnued rom t1rSt faSe.I
war is said to have been influential
in bringing about the negotiations.
Officials here refuse to discuss this
subject for publication, but 1t is un-
derstood that so far as America is
concerned the proposition when first
| broached was not wholly acceptable,
though the exchanges on the subject,
which are still in progress, may re-
suit in modifying the governments
attitude.
Accumulated at Vladivostok are
military supplies of all kinds, much
of American manufacture and even
greater quantities of japanese origin,
which was delivered long before the
| Bolsheviki took possession of the
Russian government.
Would Aid Germans
The Stevens commission of Ameri-
can engineers made extraordinary ef-
forts to improve the facilities of the
Siberian railroad so that these stores
could be transported westward for
! the use of the Russian army on the
German and Austrian fronts. A good
deal of accumulation was removed,
but great quantities remain on the
docks and in warehouses and even in
the open, both at Vladivostok and at
points westerly on the railroad. The
principal concern to the allies is the
danger that the stores shall fall into
the hands of the, Germans, who may
make their delivery one of the condi-
tons of the peace treaty which they
are about to compel the Bolsheviki
to sign.
This situation is regarded by the
Japanese as warranting the adoption
or some measures to secure these
stores, even if this involves military
action on their part.
They are willing to have the CO.
operation of the Entente and Ameri-
can forces. and the problem before
the cobelligereant chancelleries is
whether Japan shall be allowed to
proceed singlehanded if a campaign
in this quarter is begun, or whether
there shall be joint operations.
Looking to the future, it has been
argued that there should be a COM
bination movement, so as to avoid
any such question as to the ultimate
disposition of occupied territory in
Siberia as might follow the exclusive
entry of anY one country.
Ships Are Lacking
From the tone of the discussion of
this subject in official Washington, it
appears that while the Entente gov
ernments incline favorably to a joint
campaign with Japan in Siberia. they
are faced with the obstacle that prac-
tically none of them have any troops
or ships available for an Asiatic cam
paign.
This statement does not apply to
America, which not only has some
powerful cruisers with large crews
and marine contingents now in Asia
tic waters, but, in addition, has about
10000 troops in the Philippines and
two full battalions, about 900 strong
| in China and on the railroad, where
they could be rushed quickly into
Siberia.
While this whole American force
would be insignificant compared to
Japan's great naval and military re-
sources at the scene, the participation
OF the American troops in the cam
paign would serve to maintain its
international character.
The Russian Representatives in
Washington strongly disapprove of
any campaign in Siberia conducted
under Japanese auspices, even
though there be joint operations,
urging the belief that the Bolsheviki
elements struggling for control in
Vladivostok and along the Siberian
railroad will never permit the mill
tarY stores to pass into German pos
session, and that they can be de-
pended upon to prevent the seizure
of railway stations by the German
prisoners of war, who are reported
to have been given their liberty by
the Siberian local authorities.