The Cordova daily times., 1919-03-05
INTERVENTION
NOT FAVORED
BY SIBERIANS

EN- ROUTE TO OMSK, Aboard
British Military Train, Jan GORE
spondence of Associated Press).-
Hardin was crowded to the bursting
point when our train, carrying British
troops to Omsk, arrived there. 1t was
quite impossible to obtain room
anywhere in town. Prices were con-
stantly rising. The temperature was
10 degrees below zero and the atmos-
phere dry and bracing
Hundreds of tiny droskies, drawn by
two shaggy-coated Monaghan horses
driven by bundlcd-up Manchus, took
passengers only at exorbitant rates.
The railroad station was swarming
with people of a score of nationalities,
all hurrying and jostling, incarnating
the fear and uncertainties Of Russian
life of today
The correspondent visited the larg-
est grocery store and laid in an extra
supply Of canned goods. The place
was jammed with people. It was well
stocked with goods, and many people
were buying wines, including cham
payne. An American housewife would
have found the store system unbear-
able. A single cashier received the
payments from hundreds of purchas-
ers, who were forced to stand in line
for an hour before they could pay
their checks and receive their pack
ages. Hardin is Chinese territory,
but Russia has always considered her
self as possessing primary rights.
The great topic of dicussion was the
future of Russia and everybody
seemed to have a different view. All
were unanimous, however, that the
railroads must be put into better
working shape. One heard pleasant
things about America and Americans,
and the conviction was freely voiced
that America had no territorial de-
signs on Russia.
Russian Journalists, including z.
said the principles of Bolshevism
probably were more deeply rooted in
the hearts of the Russian people than
was believed by Americans. They
said that allied Intervention should be
solely to restore order and not inter-
fere with internal politics. Russia
~ 4 che Ioc4
her own political destiny. Interior
ence from abroad would only postpone
a logical evolution of Russia's revo-
luton
An American railroad engineer, r.
S. Ashby, of Pocatello, IDAHO one of
the two hundred experts in Siberia
under the direction of John F. Stew
ems to help operate the trans-Siberian
and other railways, came aboard the
train at Titsikar, Manchuria. The
place was wild uncultivated prairie,
with hillocks extending far away into
the horizon.
':This place, said Mr. Ashby, "is
called No Mans Land" and one
might well believe it. He said the
American engineers were now assist
ing the Russian staff officers who con-
trolled different sections Of the rail
way line as far as Manchuria He
lived in a barracks with six other
American engineers. They had some
baseball in the summer and skating in
the winter. The temperature was gen.
orally about the same as that of
Canada
One could hardly help feeling that
the American shohld know and realize
something of what these American en-
gineers are doing, often under Oh
stacles, in fulfllment of the American
spirit of humanity and helpfulness.
Mrs David Fraser, wife of the cor
respondent of the London Times,
came aboard the train to travel to
Omsk to join her husband. Every
body admired her. She wore uni
form with knickerbockers and carried
her own provisions and cigarettes for
her husband, for there are no cigar
cites to be had at Omsk.