Evening star., 1918-08-18

sia by the allied nations and the
United States will be augmented
from time to time. This action i es-
sentiai il the success is to be abso-
lutely assured. 1t has become in
creasingly apparent that the use OF
few thousand men working south
from Archangel and westward from
Eladivostok will be insufficient
The situation of the Czecho-Slovac
forces operating in that section OF
western Russia between Moscow
and Lake Baikal is extremely peril
through the righteousness of their
cause the Czecho-Slovacs have re-
cruited an army of more than 100000,
this army is poorly clad, meagerly
equipped and is in dire need of many
implements of war. which have been
demonstrated absolutely essential in
the present conflict. As winter ap-
proaches and food stores and other
absolutely necessary economic sup
plies are found insufficient, there Is
added reason for the immediate driv-
ing home of Intervention efforts from
Vladivostok in the far east. Thougn
the Czecho-Slovacs hold a greater
portion of the 5000. miles of Trans
siberian railroad, they must receive
greater support than the allies al.
ready have given or first plans call
for.
According to some sources it is be-
lieyed the relief OF the Czecho-Slo'
vaks will follow two well defined
courses in case it is seen that two
armies of Intervention are absolutely
essential. if the -Slovaks are
to be sustained Japan. it is declared
already has formulated plans for dis
patching a large army from Darien
formerly Port Arthur. which would
go to Harbin and thence in the direc-
tion of Lake Baikal. This army could
carry stores to the menaced Czecho-
Slovaks more speedily than could the
forces which are expected to move
westward from Vladivostok.
There have been more signs that the
various separate Siberian govern
ments soon will be combined into one
strong centralized head in Vladivo-
stok Gen. Horvath and Gen. Semenoh,
who have headed two distinct move
ments. have been in conference in
vladivostok There is every indica-
tion that the two will place their
diately will render every aid to the
movement looking toward the organi-
zation of a great allied-slavic army.
While chief attention has been cen
tered upon operations in Siberia. the
allied forces operating from their
base at Archangel have scored con-
siderable progress during the week
just closed. They already have reach
ed Pabershskaia. a hundred miles
south of Archangel. while another
force has landed on the shores OF
Omega bay with the purpose Of cut
ting of the retreat OF the bolsheviki
forces retiring in the direction of
voloRda and Petrograd. The German ms
are declared to have ordered the
Firms to send an army against the
allies on the Murman coast, but there
only half-hearted about this proposal
x
Though Germanic purpose stands
every chance of being frustrated by
allied endeavor
Rokn Seizad hv from Archangel
Allied Forces. a new movement
has gotten under way which may play
a large part in the reclaiming of Rus
sia-that of the British. Armenian and
loyal Russian forces from the region
of Baku in the heart of the rich
Transcaucasian oil fields to the south
east. The allied forces occupied this
port during the past week after a
seven-hundred-mile march through
Persia and after a long trip over wa
tiers of the Caspian sea
This movement throws a new ele-
ment into the pickering that has been
going on between Germany and Tur-
region, particularly the Baku oil re-
gion. This section, one Of the richest
of the whole region skirting Persia,
is coveted by both Turkey and Ger
many, particularly the latter. While
the two quarreled the British slipped
in through the back door after a mill
tary feat of magnificent proportions
and took the epoils.
Though it has been suggested that
Baku may be the base for further al
lied operations looking to the sending
of an allied force into the Russian
Don territory with the view Of
strengthening the anti-bolshevik and
effect of the British land
ing will be the depriving of the Ger
mans and the Turks Of the products
Of this great oil region. one of the few
yet available to the central powers
and their allies. Though the British
Baku by virtue of the untenabflfty Of
the position owing to hazardous COM
munfcation lines from Bagdad, IT
nevertheless remains true that the
armies Of occupation have it within
their power to destroy a great por-
tfon Of the oil-producing area and
reduce the amount of production to an
almost infinitesimal quantity for a
period of two years.
The Germans thought to profit great
iy Immediately on their occupation OF
the Rumanian oil region, but the wells
were largely destroyed by the
Rumanian armies SSring their re-
treat, and the Germans have been
nearly two years trying to place the
deld on a desired working basis.