New-York tribune., 1919-10-27
Neto York Tribune
Foysion Press Bureau

TO the Allies have 8 Russian
policy' The question strikes
hardly with its novelty, but N
spite Of It's somewhat timeworn look
1t Is. substantially, still as good as
new. THE London Daily Express" not
long ago published cartoon, purport-
ing TO represent the Allied, or rather
British, attitude toward Russia. A
gentleman with a double front. Ia
Janus, but equipped with the features
Of the Right Honorable Winston
Spencer Churchill, was observed TO
speed excited.y In two directions at
time. two roadside signs making it
clear that the goal Of MIS- rather para
dox.cal effort was to get into and out
Of Russia. The caption read: "We
| don't know where we are going, but
we are on our way" This may be
hard on the present British Secretary
of State for War, but the essential
correctness Of the rendering it would
be still harder to deny in the face of
situation whore the last Of British
troops have been withdrawn from
Arc hangel, but in the South General
Denikine is still shooting British am
munition at the Soviet and in the
Northwest British naval forces estab-
lish themselves in Cronstadt, after
capturing the city from the Reds.
Whether or not one calls this state
of things war is, after all, a rather
academic distinction. Much more I'M
portant is the announcement made last
week Of an Allied circular note calling
upon the neutrals and on Germany to
join in blockade of Soviet territory
This is our old friend the Gordon sani-
taire of M. Pichon revived from state
of dormancy that lasted over half a
ing hard to think up something better
The Scandinavian neutrals are said to
be preparing an answer to the note to
the effect that since trade with Soviet
Russia has ceased anyway, there is no
occasion for their participating in the
| blockade.
The crucial feature of the Allied
measure, however. is the role assigned
in it to Germany. In order to be eff
iicacious the blockade would have to
rely to large extent on German CO.
| operation. The Germans, of course.
know this only too we'll, and they may
obviously seize on the plan with view
! the Allies. At the same time they may
exploit the blockade threat for their
own propaganda purposes in Russia
In this sense the Allied note may be
quite welcome to the advocates in Ger
many Of a German-Russian alliance,
who lately have been conspicuously ac-
tive in the press and otherwise
In this connection it is not without
interest that the Italian newspaper al
Tempo" an organ close to the Nitti
government, has recently deemed it
timely to "disclose" the full text
of treaty of alliance purportng to
have been concluded between Germany
and Japan early in 1918. The Italian
newspaper, as quoted by the French
weekly "L'Europe Nouvelle," points out
that this document arranges virtually
for the division of Russia between the
two contracting powers under the pre-
text Of helping her in the task of re-
construction. For the concessions OBJ
tanned in European Russia and western
and central Asia Germany, according
to the treaty, acknowledges Japanese
interests in South China and assures
Japan of her military and naval aid
against England and America.
This is the same Germano-Japanese
treaty about which Senator Lodge
made inquiries in the Senate last July
and of which previous mention had
been made in Peking dispatch pub
lished by the Chinese delegation at
Paris in the middle of April. The ex-
istence of such a document was at
the time emphatically denied by the
Japanese government, in whose behalf
the statement, among others, was is
sued that such an alliance with Ger
many had been the objective of certain
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