New-York tribune., 1920-01-03
Collapse of Kolchak Army
and Imminent Fall of
Denikine Arouses Fear
of Open Road to India
Japanese the Only Barrier
Belief Prevails That Lifting
of the Russian Blockade
Will, Take Place Soon
Ne.o York Trlbxms
Essr0nann9 Rs,r>ns,

EuyopeGm Bureau
Copyright. 1920. New York Tribune Incl
LONDON, Jan. PA new phase of
the Russian situation is causing a
measure of alarm to Great Britain
the possibility of a Bolshevik move
upon the east. The Soviet troops have
broken through the barrier on the
east, and the complete collapse of Ad-
miral Kolchak and the precarious po-
sition Of General Denikine leave the
door to the road to India open to the
cred" army.
The Bolshevik troops have reached
Bokolhara, 400 miles from Kabul, the
capital of Afghanistan, and, as one even
ing paper here tonight points out, East
ern Siberia, Mongolia, Manchuria, AZ
ghanistan and Persia are threatened.
japan has been allowed to establish
herself as the last barrier to Bolshe-
vlsm as far west as Lake Baikal, and
whether the "Red" forces ever will at
tack the Japanese there none can say.
But it is fact that the Japanese in
this district are not only warning on
the Bolsheviki, but they are regarded
as intruders upon Russian independ-
ence by majority of the Russians Of
Siberia.
Open Road to India Possible
The Soviet troops, however, probably
do not consider themselves threatened
from that direction, and turn their at
tention to finishing General Denikine.
After this, if the Allies continue their
blockade in the West, the "Red" forces
can establish direct communication
with Persia and the northwestern from
tier of India.
With the fortune Of the campaigns
in East and South Russia swinging
rapidly to the side of the Bolsheviki,
the world must be prepared for certain
political consequences which inevitably
follow. The whole Russian situation
is visibly entering new phase. Three
days ago. The Tribune was informed
that peace between England and the
Bolsheviki-and as there no longer is
formal state of war the raising Of
the blockade would evidence that peace
might be expected within a fort
night. Twenty-four hours later M.
Litvinoff was quoted by Danish paper
as saying that peace is much nearer
than is generally expected.
O'Grady Is Optimistic
James O'Grady, the British commits
sioner for the exchange of prisoners,
who departs tomorrow to resume a
conference with M. Litvinoff, when
questioned by The Tribune as to his
knowledge of the facts upon which
Litvinoff based his optimism, said:
"Tell America 1 hope in a short time
to see considerable improvement in
the Russian situation. 1t is. apparent
to competent observers that military
Intervention in Russia is impracticable.
Starting from such a basis, it j. not
impossible that a decision may be
reached that the blockade cannot be
continued"
Officials of the Foreign Office to-day
pronounced rumors of impending peace
as premature" Yet there is reason to
believe that the actual lifting of the
blockade around Soviet Russia may be
the outcome of the resumption Of the
peace conference meetings at Paris
next week
The British attitude is reported to
be spreading alarm in French circles.
Hitherto the British policy-if it can
be said to have had one toward Rus
sia-has been one of compromise be-
tween Intervention and Premier Gle
menceau's plan of "barbed wire en-
tanglement around Bolshevik Russia"
AS usually happens with compromises,
those policies failed. The third plan
that of leaving Russians to settle
their own affairs, which is supported
by British labor-is now being more
seriously considered than ever before.