The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-05-24
(By G. Charles Hodges }

The concern of Japan over the dis
integration of Russia and the result
ing extension of Teutonic influence
orientward holds the attention of the
world.
But the Chinese Republic lying
cheek by jow1 with Russia, has vast
interests equally jeopardized. Apart
from China being bound with the Al
lies as a Acknowledgement, there are
three reasons why she looks upon a
Russia in the grip of Bolshevik hands
with an anxiety no less than that held
by the Mikado's land. Not only has
China had a long and costly contact
with Russia, but there is, moreoveA
a proximity Of territory which makes
German penetration of Russia 4
march on China; and the breakup of
Russia, lastly, has upset the balance
in the East, confronting China with
new dangers.
Destroys Ba1anca
1t is the elimination of an old
neighbor.
Russia has been an empire grow
ing on China's flank for centuries with
treaty Teldl1UuS do 4d4
back as 1888. Since this time China's
power to Withstand Slavic expansion
has dwindled steadily, and the period
is marked by successive encroach-
ments on the territories of the old
Middle Kingdom. Notably, it cost
China the Amrr country, blocking
Manchuria's outlet to the sea by the
Treaties of 1883 and 1860; and in the
end, to all intents Manchuria, the
Three Eastern Provinces being jointly
exploited by Russia and Japan since
the 1905 settlement to the prejudice
Of China's rights here.
Secondly, Russia, until the Great
War dividing with Japan a FREEDOM
nance in this quarter of the world,
encircles China on the west and
north, from India through Siberia tc
the Pacific. The breaking of Russia
into a bundle of weak states, new
| set of pawns like the Balkans fol
German manipulation through tbs
| heart of Asia, brings the Teutonic lust
| for world dominion to the back-dooI
| of the Chinese Republic.
Finally, though the Russo-Japan-
| csc SLIu6Sl0 LII ASV-
| blocked the Slavic attempt to Absorb
Manchuria single-handed, the Treaty
| of Portsmouth left the Russians and
| the Japanese controlling these Three
Eastern Provinces, the former pre-
dominant in the region north Of the
| Sungari river. Their Nipponest
| rivals succeeded them in the south o.
Manchuria, China perforce assentfns
to this joint occupation.
The collapse of Russia has broker
down the scheme of state pushed by
Japan with the cooperation of the
fallen Tsars. The balance between
these two great powers has ended
| With the passing of Russia for the
! time being a new condition has arisen
/ China has begun the reassertion o.
her rights in the part of the Three
Eastern Provinces which Russia hat
| parcelled out for herself. This funda
mentally affects the ambitions of th'
Japanese Empire, the continental pur
poses of the Mikado's land.
Chinese Forward Policy.
Thus the triumph of the Belshevik
in Russia is doubly significant to thu
Chinese Republic
For, on the one side, it has broker
up the Russo Japanese combination
working in the East, that nut
cracker Tightening on China from
1910 to the early days of the Grea
War. But at the same time it il
pluRgiRg the Republic of China int
international complications Of unPar
alleled import for her future.
China cast her lot with the Allie
I after the Russian Provisional govern
ment had oEerthSo#n the old empire
In the short time between the down
fall of the Tsars and the triumph o
the Bulsheviki, China and Russii
were republics in arms against tn
common Teutenic enemy, When tn
J swing of the pendulum put the ex
J tremists into power in Russia, man;
opponents of the BelsheEiki found re
fuge in China Thus from Peingk a
well as from Teyko Russian force
have been working to restore the gov
eminent of the first Russian revolu
ton.
q The Chinese Republic became d
! rectiy affected when the Boishevi
. leaders in Siberia, acting under tn
J orders Of Eenine in Petrograd. al
tempted the seizure Of the Trans-Si
barian RzilwaF where it crosses chi
nese territory. New this raiIroaf