New Britain herald., 1921-11-10
MAY BE ABLE TO
 SAVE SIBERIA
Opportunity Seen Through Far !. Eastern Republic

Charles IT. Smith has Just return ed from serving two and one half years as American member of the h. terallied railway commission in Si- heria He has resigned and is in Washington laying before the state department data concerning Japans part in Siberian affairs. In the fol- lowing article he describes for The Herald the Far Eastern Republic or ganized at Chta, which may send an unofficial delegation to the arms con- ference,
 (By Charles Y. Snith
 Washington, Nov 10.-One of the nations demanding recognition before the coming armament barley is the Far Eastern Republic,
 This republic is an outgrowth of the demands made by Japan on Rus sia for the establishment of a buffer state between Japan and bolshevism,
 The Japanese idea was to establish a state which would be under Japan csc domination or, at least, favor able to Japanese plans
 Evidently the soviet government foresaw that such was the intention H. agents to establish this state. Con sequently, the Far Eastern Republic has been organized by representa- tives of Moscow and the liberalists of the Far East.
 Buffer State
 Moscow saw al the outset that communism never could he estab- lished in Siberia and was entirely willing to fall in with the Japanese idea of a buffer state However, to forestall Semionoff in his endeavors a new state must necessarily be es- tablished by the liberal thinkers. Therefore, the temporary government at Chita was formed by the repre- sentatives of Verkhne- -Ulinsk, Blago- veshtchensk, Habarovsk and Nladi- vostok governments.
 This temporary government called a general election for representatives to a constitutional assembly, The plan of election was that of the Kerensky government by which representatives of all parties and organizations were chosen. Every political party, provid- ed it had a certain number of votes, was entitled to representation.
 Peasants Control.
 When the assembly met, the peas ant faction was in the majority. A liberal constitution was adopted, with an executive body of seven men, under which came the ministry.
 This executive body, when an em- ergency demands, can promulgate laws which stand until the next ses- sion of the DIma (congress,) when these laws must be ratified or reject ed.
 The constitution procaims the in vioability of private property; the freedom of the press; free religious worship and declares strongly for compulsory education. In general, it it not unlike the ideas which we have adopted and observed in the United States, except that it's tenets are per haps more inclined toward socialism
 Disorders Rare.
 Since the establishment of the Far Eastern Republic, disorders have been very rare, except when engln- eered by the Japanese military. At least 90 per cent. of the people are supporters of the new government, All the workmen and peasants are with it. The only class that with holds it's support is the one with old regime tendencies, and that is in the minority.
 From our viewpoint, the Far East ern republic is the best government yet established in Siberia or Russia.
 While it may not be ideal, 1t Is
 ]; If given economic support by the world generally, it's ideas will soon expand to the remainder of Siberia and eventually to old Russia.
 And when that occurs, order and system may be expected from the chaos of today.