davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1918-08-25

Amur a considerable Allied force
will be needed.
The Allies have established them
selves at two other points in Asiatic
Russia. The British have recently
dispatched small contingents to
Bokhara and Baku. Both these
operations are defensive in charac-
ter. After the treaty of Brest-
Litovsk was signed all Middle Asia
seemed to lie open to Germany. The
Germans thought so themselves.
They believed they had found a new
route to India. The Berlin to Bag
dad slogan was dropped Bagdad
was in British hands. The German
public found a new watchword of
empire. 1t was Berlin to Bokhara. ="
Bokhara lies close to the northern
most projection of India, and an al
tentative route south lies through
Persia and Afghanistan.
New-York tribune., 1918-08-25
Reds F all to Break
Line Of the Volga

From Nologda the Archangel rail
road continues south to Yaroslav.
This city was the centre of an anti
Bolshevist uprising couple of
months ago. The Bolshevists retook
it after hard fighting. From Yaro-
slav the railroad turns southeast
through kovroff and Nijni-Novgorod
(the great Eastern Russia trade
centre) to Russayevka, from which
branches radiate to Kazan, Simbrinsk
and Samara. Volga River towns
which are held by the Czecho- Slo-
vaks. Thus another line of commu-
nication with the -Slovaks can
be established by way of Archangel.
The Volga River line from Kazan
TO Simbrinsk and about 200
miles in length-represents the Cze-
cho-Slovaks' western front. They
hold other towns eastward to the
trals. But in this rear region fight
ing has died out, as it has in West
crn Siberia. The people are living
under practically autonomous local
governments.
Within the last six weeks the Mos
COW Soviet government has been
making desperate efforts to break the
Nolga line. But according to Lenines
own confession the Red Guards have
been very reluctant to face the
Czecho-Slovaks. The only dependa-
Die Soviet troops are the Let's, who
seem to have pro-German sympa-
thies.
New-York tribune., 1918-08-25
Would at Least
Resist Germans

whether new government. pro-
Ally and nationalistic in character.
would reenter the war, is an obscure
problem. But it would resist Ger
man penetration at every point. 1t
would try to recover the Russian
Black Sea fleet. 1t would try to re-
gain the Crimea (Which Turkey COW
cts) and the Black Sea coast, which
Germany holds by no warrant but
the sword. 1t would try to reunite
the dismembered parts of the empire
1t might go further and denounce
the iniquitous Brest-Litovsk treaty.
thus putting Germany on notice that
her possession of the lost Western
provinces will terminate as soon as
Germany's ability to hold them by
force vanishes.
Germany is in the same position
with her military conquests as Ma
pcleon. HIS rule was propped up bv
bayonets. Wherever the hayonets
were withdrawn the imperial struct-
ure crumbled.
SO the conquered Russian depend
encies are now peril rather than an
asset to Germany. She has ruthless
II exploited Poland and the Ukraine.
She is trying to conscript the Firms.
She is ordering the Lithuanians and
the people of the Baltic states to
raise armies for domestic defence"
that is, against Russia. But ar
mics which are raised in Lithuania.
Courland, Livonia and Esthonia
would be no longer of use to Ger
many If new Eastern front should
be created. They would turn against
their conquerors and oppressors as
Napoleon's foreign contingents did
whenever they had the chance.
New-York tribune., 1918-08-25
British First
o Reach Bokhara

The British, however, have beaten
the Germans to Bokhara. The Box
haran province is probably loosely
attached to the new independent
government of Turkestan, which is
anti-Bo(shevist. But conditions are
unsettled. The British expedition,
composed of East India troops, came
up through Baluchistan and Eastern
Persia
The new Persian government seems
to have turned away from Turkey
and the Pan-Turanian agitators.
Since Russia disappeared and Great
Britain annulled the partition of
Persia with Russia into "spheres of
influence relations between Tehe-
ran and London have become more
cordial. With Persia's active or pas
slve good will the British can main
tain force in Bokhara, protecting
the Bokharan railroad and guarding
the northern approaches to India.
Persia also put no obstacles in the
way of the second British expedition
across her northwestern provinces
from Mesopotamia to Baku. Last
spring. when the right wing of the
British army in Mesopotamia was
making rapid progress up the Tigris
and east of the Tigris toward Mosul,
a Turkish force-mostly Kurds-
moved from Lake Van into North
western Persia with the apparent
intention of working down on the
right flank Of the advancing British.
The Turks reached Lake Urumiah.
but got no further.
Now British troops-a small body,
naturally - have passed through
Northwestern Persia from the IT,
girls, taken ship at Enzeii. on the
Caspian Sea. and disembarked at
Raku.
New-York tribune., 1918-08-25

With Little Help From the Entente
New Power Will Cause Reshifting
of Men From Western Front and
Make Passage of Rhine Easier

with its shipping, means control of
the Caspian.
Armenians ard Bolshevists Joined
in opposing the Turkish invasion Of
Eastern Transcaucasia. They have
defended Baku and the British expe-
dition is cooperating with them Baku
is also the key to the control Of the
trans Caspian railroad, running
east from the Caspian Sea into Tur-
kestan, and of the routes into North
eastern Persia.
With a sufficient force Baku could
also be used as base for operations
up the Nolga River. The Czecho-
Slovaks hold the upper Volga. Be
tween the Nolga and the Don are the
Cossacks, who are strongly anti-Bol-
shevist. A connection with the
Czecho- Slovaks could be made along
this line But it would be a long,
precarious route, far inferior to the
route across Siberia. The occupa-
ton of Baku is, therefore, probably
{ purely precautionary measure
Ike the occupation of Bokhara.
New-York tribune., 1918-08-25
Allies Aid Bolshevist
F orces at Baku

Baku is the terminus of the rail-
road across Transcaucasia from Ba-
tum, on the Black Sea. At Brest-
Litovsk Russia surrendered to Tur-
key the districts of Kars, Erivan and
Batum. The Turks had to fight to
get possession of them, for the Ar
menian population resisted and the
independent governments set up in
the rest of the Caucasus were hos
tile. Turkey finally got possession of
the greater part OF the three dis
tricts.
But Turkish ambitions didn't stop
there. The Pan-Turanian agitators
wanted to open road into Bokhara
and Turkestan. Turkish troops have
heen trying for some time TO take
Baku. the chief west shore port of
the Caspian and the centre of a
great oil trade. Control of Baku,
New-York tribune., 1918-08-25
Allies Hold Base
On Arctic Coast

There remains the Allied expedi-
tion into Northern Russia. Muir
mansk, the icefree port on the kola
peninsula. was the chief entry point
Of Allied supplies for Russia when
Russia was at war with Germany.
Archangel came second. The Allies
took possession of the Murmansk lit
toral after Lenine and Trotzky
turned Russia over to the Germans.
They had to protect the vast quanti-
ties Of material stored there
The Murmansk railroad and coast
were also threaten by the Finng.
acting under German instructions
AS chaos spread in Russia the Allied
forces in the north were increased
British, American and French ma,
rices were easily landed there, since
the kola peninsula is only relative
ly short distance from the base of
the Allied fleets north of Scotland.
The Finnish German expedition to
seize the railroad has not yet mate
rialized. The Films do not want to
fight the Allies, although Germany
has compelled Lenine to cede Carelia
to Finland as bait for Finnish am
bitions.
Recently the Allies also landed at
-Archangel, where a pro- Ally indie
pendent government has been set up
and new state has been proclaimed.
embracing several of the northern
Russian provinces. The Red Guard
forces in Archangel have retreated
down the railroad toward Vologda,
the junction point of the Archangel
line with a line running west to
Petrograd. The Allies have pursued
the Red Guards 100 miles down the
Archangel-Vologda railway to Pa
hareshkaia, where they have been
held up. They are in a friendly
country, however, and ought to be
able to reach Vologda if sufficiently
reinforced.
New-York tribune., 1918-08-25
Ukraine Already
Revolts Against Huns

The Ukraine is already in revolt
against German tyranny. Poland is
smouldering with disaffection. A
new nationalized Russia. re-created
by Allied aid, would inevitably lead
to attempts in the several provinces
to attain freedom through Russian
and Allied assistance Germany
might not have to face on a new
Eastern front two or three millions
of soldiers-armies like those of the
Grand Duke Nicholas or Brusiloff.
But she would have to face the sullen
hostility of millions of Slav subjects,
eager to be free and ready to strike
for freedom as soon as the grip Of
German military occupation began to
relax.
There can, therefore, easily be a
new moral and psychological Eastern
front, which, if the war lasts a year
longer. may suddenly change into a
real military front For Germany
Russia is becoming a quicksand. She
cannot draw out. Yet if she stays
she will be gradually engulfed and
suffocated.
New-York tribune., 1918-08-25
Chance Justihes
Allied Intervention

FOR Its own limited purposes AL
led intervention is fully justified on
military as we'll as political grounds.
1t takes chance on the establish
ment OF new front of collision with
GeTmany-a grandiose idea, but not
half so grandiose as the venture
which the Czecho-S -Slovaks have dem
onstrated to be entirely practicable.
The Czecho- -Slovaks had the faith
which moves mountains. And they
did move mountains.
In the main. however, and for the
present the Allied front in Russia
a country of magnificent distances
must be largely a moral front. It
could not stand if it were not. 1t
represents q purpose-self interest
ed, of course, but genuine-to put the
RUSSIAN nation again on its feet. The
Allies do not want TO conquer Russia.
hey want to save her In so far as
0ii1'V pdl pose becomes clear to those
Russians who still hope for national
regeneration. native cooperation will
undoubtedly follow. The great mass
of the Russians apparently care little
about the form of government under
which they live. But they are begin
ming to have a real desire for the
return of order and economic sta
5ility. They recognize in a vague
way, moreover, that Germany and
Germany's Bolshevist tools have com
mtted ghastly crime against Rus
sla and Slavdom. The new Russia,
whatever else it is, will be anti-Gcr-
man.
New-York tribune., 1918-08-25
F orces in Control
Along the Ussuri

The Czecho- o-Slovaks and the other
Allied forces in Nladivostok are now
in contact with the Amur Bolshevists
and their auxiliaries in the Ussuri
River region, west of Nladivostok
The Siberian railroad runs west from
the Pacific to the Ussuri and there
joins branch line coming down
from the Amur. The northern ter
minus Of this branch is Khabarovsk.
Just north Of the Ussuri junction is
Nikolskoye The Red Guards came
down the railroad line in force and
occupied Nikolskoye. They intended
to cut the Chinese Eastern Railroad
between the Ussuri and the Manchu-
rian frontier. The Czecho-Slovaks
marched west from Vladivostok early
this summer and elected the enemy
from this town. But they have been
hard put to hold their own against
more numerous enemy forces gath
cred on the line Of the Ussuri.
Last Friday Toxic announced that
Japanese troops had advanced be
yond Nikolskoye. Lieutenant Gener-
al Otani is beginning to get the sit
uation in hand.
In the narrow section near the
Pacific Coast roundup of the Boz
shevists and Teuton prisoners is
more practicable. Communications
north are good and the Allies. if they
cared to do so, could march to the
Amur and, proceeding up it, occupy
lagoveschenk. That would extin-
guish the Bolshevist movement in
the East. The Japanese, as pre-
caution. have already seized Niko-
lacvsk, on the Pacific Coast, at the
mouth Of the Amur. This port is
about TOO miles north of Vladivostok.
But for q successful campa ign in the
maritime province and along the
New-York tribune., 1918-08-25
Few Anti Bolshevists
Among Don Cossacks

In the Don Cossack territory there
are some anti-Bolshevist forces, but
they are poorly organized and have
undertaken no aggressive move
lnents. In way. however. they pro-
tect the southern flank Of the Czecho-
Slovak army in Russia proper. The
Czecho- Slovaks are about 500 miles
east of Moscow
General March was emphatically
right when he said the other day that
New-York tribune., 1918-08-25
Czecho-S -Slovaks'
Rear Will Be Safe

When Chita and Irkutsk are
reached the first purpose of the ST.
berian relief expedition will have
been accomplished. The rear Of the
Czecho- Slovaks will be secured. A
line of retreat to the Pacific through
Manchuria will be opened for them,
in case it becomes desirable for them
to head again for the East.
From lrkurtsk west to the Urals,
through Tomsk and Omsk. there is
no obstacle at present to an extern
sion of the Allied line. This country
is under the control of an anti Boil
shevist government, which has de-
clared it's independence of Russia
There are C2echo- Slovak detach-
ments at the principal railway CEN
tres, working in harmony with the
local authorities. No fighting has
been reported in Central and West
New-York tribune., 1918-08-25
Must Threaten
Germany From Rear

What is needed-and what is now
practicable-is the establishment
Of an Eastern front, political and
psychological in character, with suf-
fcient military backing to compel
reshifting of German troops east
ward. Russia must become again a
threat 70 the German rear. And she
can become such threat only
through a national reorganization,
following Allied intervention.
In the months since the Brest-
Lltoysk theaty was signed Russia
mas ceased to be a nation. She has
aad only a shadow of central gov
eminent. Her territory has shrunk
Ike Balzac's Magic Skin.
At Brest-Litovsk Won Kuhlmann
and Won Czernin played on the Gre
dulity and folly Of the Bolshevists.
They rudely dismembered the an
cent Romanoff empire, Lenine and
Trotzky looking on with fatuous
coFnplacency. Germany took, under
The disingenuous 'self determina-
ton clauses Of the treaty, the bulk
1 Western Russia Finland, Lithu-
ana, Courland, Poland and the
Ukraine She gave three Trans
Saucaslan governments to Turkey.
Later, without any warrant but
''fce she stripped Russia Of Livonia
sha Exthonia, Carelia, the Crimea
ana the whole northern Black Sea
s'ast. She allotted Bessarabia to
Rumanla.
Aaiser Expected Both
oupplIes and Recruits
IN all this territory -- the most
''poious and the most highly devel-
'peo industrially in the former Ro-
"'ahoH Empire 49, Berlin get up a
"'fnan oyerlordehip. Germany be
-" a. once TO exploit its resources
"-nSr own benefit and TO lay plans
New-York tribune., 1918-08-25

Il association (Neau York Trib1tne)
TOR reducing the rest of Russia, 81
oerla included, to a condition of
economic dependency. 1t was her
purpose, undoubtedly, to recruit her
armies with conscripts furnished bv
the puppet states she had established
in Western Russia. In Finland she
IS now demanding that Finnish
troops shall attack the Allied forces
which have been landed on the Kola
peninsula and at Archangel.
The Bolshevist government at
Moscow has been a plant German
tool. 1t surrendered the Baltic feet.
1t made no resistance to the inva
sion of Southern Russia. 1t ceded
Carelia to the Firms. -Four months
ago German domination of Russia
seemed assured. There was no or
ganized power anywhere capable of
disputing Lenine's policy of national
dismemberment and suicide or
checking German penetration to and
beyond the Urals.
Accident Gives
Allies a Chance
But pure accident saved Russia.
Out of clear sky came the Czecho-
Slovak intervention. History con-
talns no more romantic or dra-
matte episode than the sudden trans
formation wrought in the Russian
situation by the chance interpostion
of these Austro- Hungarian ex-pris
oners Of war. Their adventure is a
chronicle more stirring than the
March to the Sea Of Xenophon's Ten
Thousand.
The Czecho Slovaks had gladly
surrendered to Brusiloff and had
subsequently entered the Russian
ranks. Peace left them in an en-
barrassing situation. They could not
afford to be exchanged as prisoners.
They were no longer prisoners. but
rebels. They demanded an oppor-
tunlty to get out of Russia by wav
OF Vladivostok. Most of them SIR
rendered their arms. The Rolshevjl<
government promised them trans
portatlon to the Pacific Coast IF
Germany could have read the future
she would have speeded them on
their way.
New-York tribune., 1918-08-25

the Idea of trying to establish an
Eastern front in Russia with a little
handful of Americans is simply ri
dlculous.' Intervention in Russia
would be ridiculous if the United
states alone were to undertake it.
But 1t has behind it the military
strength of all the Western Allies. It
mas also the merit of EMPLOYING for
the first time since the fall of Kiao-
'hau the untouched strength of ia
pan. 1t also employs to some extent
the resources of China
New-York tribune., 1918-08-25


arouse desire, both in what is left
of Russia and in the western and
southern provinces annexed by Ger
many, to drive the Germans back
again within their own borders.
Every Germanized state-Finland,
perhaps, eXcepted-is sick of Ger
man arrogance and rapacity A new
Russia, freed, nationalized and in
vigorated, would become an agent for
the liberation of the lost Caucasus
provinces, the Crimea, the Ukraine.
Poland, Lithuania, Courland, Livonia
and Esthonia The Germans would
be thrown everywhere on the defen-
sive. They would have to renounce
their conquests or create a new
Eastern front to retain them.
Have Entered Russia
At Many Points
The Allies have now entered Rus
sian territory at many points. The
Czecho- Slovaks hold Nladivostok and
some territory west Of it toward the
Ussuri River They also hold the
Transsiberian line west of Lake
Baikal all the way to the Urals.
West of the Urals they have ad-
vanced to the upper Nolga River.
French, British, American and Jap
anese detachments have reached
Nladivostok, where they will operate
to clear the ralroaH west to the Chi
nese border and to contain and capt
ure the Teuton ex-prisoners and Red
Guards who control the Siberian
maritime province.
The main force of the Japanese,
with Chinese auxiliarles, is probably
moving up through Manchuria from
Port Arthur. 1t intends, apparent
ly, to strike from the northwestern
Manchurian border for Chita and
then clear the railroad west to Lake
Baikal and Irkutsk A Russian
force under General Semenoff has
twice tried to invade Siberia from
Manchuria and has twice been
driven back by the Bolshevists. But
the Red Guards and their Teuton
associates are not likely to make a
serious stand against trained Japan
cse troops. The purely military diff
iculties of an expedition to Chita
and Lake Baikal are not great. But
transport and supply may make
some trouble after the cold weather
sets in.
New-York tribune., 1918-08-25
Czecho-Slovak Intervention Recon-
stitutes Both Political and Military
Barriers to German Aggression in
Land the Romanoffs Once Ruled
By w. l.. Mcpherson

Copuqght, 1918, by The Tribune
"HE recreation of an Eastern
front is not an empty dream.
Il seems so only to those who
view the situation too narrowly
and from the strictest military
angle.
The Eastern front can be recon-
stituted in two senses-one military,
the other political and psychological.
new front of the second sort would
he we'll worth the effort to establish
il. even though new front of the
first sort may be beyond present
possibilities.
Cannot Expect
Great Armies Again
We cannot expect, of course, TO
see Russia put such armies in the
field as she mobilized in 1914 and
maintained in 1915, 1916 and a part
Of 1917-from the Baltic Sea to the
Rumanian border. In all that period
Russia more than offset the military
power of Austria Hungary. She
would have overrun the Hungarian
plains and possibly marched to the
rates of Vienna had not Germany,
besides defending her own Eastern
frontier, gone to Austria Hungary's
aid in Galicia and in the Carpa-
thians. Russia absorbed the shock
Of Austrian power and a large part
of the shock of German power
through the early years of the war.
She saved France by tieing up Ger
man resources and gave Great Brit
ain time to create the Kitchener ar
mics.
The Allies cannot look to her now
to repeat the opportune East Prus-
sian and Galician offensives of 1914.
Or TO repeat the great Brusiloff Of
fonsive of 1916, which temporarily
wrecked Austria Hungary's Eastern
armies and cut short the first Aus
uo Hungarian assault on Italy. Nor
can the Entente Powers themselves
undertake to man a new line from
Riga to the Bukovina. At this stage
OF the war military decision must
be sought on the Western front. The
way to Berlin lies over the Rhine,
not over the Nistula. Yet any re-
constitution of a Russian front which
will draw more German forces east
and keep them there will help to end
the war by making the Allied march
across the Meuse, the Rhine and the
Elbe swifter and easier.
New-York tribune., 1918-08-25

ern Siberia for several months past.
The second purpose Of the Siberian
expedition will be to round up the
Ieuton eX-prisoners in Eastern ST.
IBERIA. East of Chita the unfinished
Amur River branch of the Siberian
railroad turns northeast, following
the line Of the Shilka River until the
latter empties into the Amur. This
uncompleted railroad, the Shlka and
the Amur rivers are the main line of
communication between the Province
of Aum, the Bolshevist stronghold,
and Trans -Baikalia.
Bolshevists Along
the Chinese Border
From the Amur strong Bolshevist
contlngents made their way into the
Trans-Paikal province. They for
merly held Irkutsk, across the lake,
but were driven out early this sum-
mer by the Czecho- -Slovaks. They now
bar the way to an Allied advance
from the Chinese border. If defeat
ed they will have to retire down the
Amur railroad line, the Shilka and
the Amur rivers, on the last of which
there are many river vessels avail
able. How far the Allies intend to
pursue them in that direction is
question Of military expediency
solely.
At present the Red Guards are rel
atively strong in numbers, but they
probably have little artillery and are
under lax discipline The Czecho-
Slovaks, so far as they have come
into contact with these forces, both
in Trans Baikalia and in and about
Vladivostok. have killed the Ger
mans, Austrians and Hungarians
and disarmed the Russians. The pol
icy of disarming the Russians will
probably be followed The Teuton ex-
prisoners who surrender will be in
termed in Japan
New-York tribune., 1918-08-25
Germany Barred
Retreat From Russia

But Germany didn't want to let
them escape to join the Allied armies
IN France and Italy. German infu-
cree with the Bolshevists was exert
ed to stop them on their way THROUGH
Siberia. Despite Lenine's promises
they were held up and attacked at
various points on the Siberian rail
road. To protect themselves thev
routed and disarmed the Red Guards
who attempted to interfere with
them. Then they seized the Siberian
railroad. A few of them had cot
through to Nladivostok and re-
mained there. They eventually took
over that port. The rest, scattered
between the Urals and Lake Bal
kal, extended their hold on the 81
berian system until they held it
practically from Irkutsk to the Ural
Mountains.
New-York tribune., 1918-08-25

against the Red Guards and the
Austrian, Hungarian and German
prisoners who have joined the Boil
shevists. In Eastern Russia and
most of Siberia the Bolshevist rule
has been tacitly or openly repudi-
ated. The Czecho Slovaks merely
assist friendly communities to set up
co1f-