The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-07-29
AMERICA GIVING CLOSE ATTENTION
 ID JAP RELATIONS
Colby Confers With British Ambassadors to U. s. and Japan. p~~eiving the
 Latest Information
sy a.soera,sd Press

Washington, July 2S.-The American government is understood to be giving close attention to Japanese relations and Japan's general policy in the far east because of the effect on the question involved of the recent withdrawal or American troops from Siberia. the sign- ing of the consortium relative to Chinese financial aid, the assumption of control of the Chinese Eastern railroad by the Japanse and the Japanese. occupation ef northern saghalen and the greater par tion of the maritime province of Siperia'
 Secretary Colby conferred with Sir Auckland Geddes. the British amoassa- dor here, who brought into the confer ence Sir Beilby Alston British aInbassa- dor to Japan. who is returning to Lon don on leave Sir Beilby was in posi- ton to give MT. Colby the latest nior- nation from the Chinese capital, sup nlementing the views of Roland Morris, the American ambassador to ToAio, wno is at home on leave of absence.
 British interests in China and Japan are regarded here as paralleling to some extent those of America, because oi the large business transactions between tnose countries and the British dominion or Canada and Australia, as wen as lno common desire ,of the colonial govern ments and California and other Paci1lc coast states to find some solution of the problem of oriental labor The solution of this problem by the British govern ment in the opinion here. is made more complex by reason of the existence or the Anglo-Japanese treaty, which re- gently was renewed for one year
 WATCH ROAD STATUS j. Changes in the status of the Chinese eastern railroad have been closely watched Since this line forms the most valuable branch of the Siberian railroad and affords the only practicable commit uncation between the interior of Siperla and yladivostok, both the United states and Great Britain are understood to de- sire that it's international character De preserved to assure the maintenance or the open door.
 As to the Japanese occupation of Sa- ghalien. the United States is known to be reluctant to concur in this move A dispatch from Tokio today said that the Nichi Nichi, a newspaper there, had pup lished a statement that the Japanese government had received an inquiry par taking of the nature of protest from a certain country in connection with the intention of Japan to occupy this portion of Siberia.
 State department officials would neither affirm nor deny that the country referred to was the United States but the general understanding of those in close touch with the situation was that it was the United States.
 What purports to be copy of diS- patch sent by the commander in chief ui the Japanese forces in Siberia to the Japanese minister of war came to lign. asre today. It was dat.d July l. ana said: 4y
 Tt is my intention to seize immedi- ately the whole of the territory up to line drawn west of Baikal. 15O miles, in- cluding in the occupation the Manchu- rian concession zone. It will take about month to complete the occupation When the occupation has been made. Japan will be able to control the formation Of a new government.
 ..The commander in chief requests that notification of his action be communi- cated to the powers and that the result of the notification be communicated tc him at an early date.