The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-11-12
WORLD POWERS


coming IOBSLGer Oh the great Hdl4OIfS
to limit the size of each others arms
and navies.
Heavy Guard Used.
An unusually heavy guard was
thrown today about Continental hall,
where the first sess on of the arma-
ment conference was he'd as q result
of the receipt of a number of threat
/ ening letters by high officials of the
| state department.
! Increased precautions also were
taken to protect the d stinguished
statesmen from all parts of the world
who are here for the conference.
| While an air of secrecy has been
thrown about the missives. it was
! learned today that they are of a highly
ordinary crank" letters which public
men and prominent officials habitualy
receive, but are said to show consid-
cradle education and intelligence on
/ the part of the authors.
| The purport of one letter was that
: the writer would attempt to 'injsre
and thereby impress the gathering of
world statesmen mere.
| Every Precaut;on Taken.
All night long United States ma
rines walked their post about the D. a.
! r.. hall, where the conference is to be
/ held today, and about the new navy
| building, where the offices of the vari-
7
| rines were stationed every twenty feet
about the buildings and it was ihpos
| sible for any person without very
excellent credentials to even approach
| the building.
| At hotels and residences where the
various delegations are residing, secret
/ service men of the United States and
| foreign nations are on guard. Every
precaution has been taken to prevent
any untoward incident which might
disturb the conference or the con-
/ ferees. 81
Officials chose to maintain silence as.
| to their motives in establishing the
| heavy guard but it was pointed out
that within the past few weeks, there
| have been several attempts upon the
lives of American diplomatic agents
| and it is believed that fears are held
that an effort may be made to bring
these demonstrations to the confer
ence.
China and Siberia Problems.
Under the heading of Pacific and
! Far Eastern Quest. ons" The confer
ence will consider China and Siberia
Here are two countries with the ter
ritoriaI magnitude, the immensely of
population and the natural wealth of
| mighty empires but they are helpless
in the sense of modern development.
1t is part of the humanitarian pro-
gram of America to help them and to
protect them in the future from ag-
gressions, either Warlike or peacefully
/ commercial.
America is inspired by more than
one motive in this respect; To save
the peoples of these countries the
riches that are their own by right of
justice and legal proprietorship and to
prevent land grabbing which would
sow the seeds of hatred. rivalry and
i jealousy. The United States has made
it plain that she will go tremendous
THrn in hnh ~ T.f7 but
China She aims to preserve the ter
| ritoria1 integrity OF China and at the
same time to open the doors for free
ard untramneled trade intercourse.
Siberia Not Russia Now
As to S-tera, the course of the con-
ference is doubtful. There is a gov
eminent in Siberia with Headquarters
at Chita, known as the Far Eastern
republic. This government is be-
lieYed in many quarters (and there
seems to be foundation for the Belief
that it is either subsidiary or closely
allied with the Russian soviet govern
ment at MOSCOW. Siberia. until three
years ago, was an integral part of
Russia, but it has been the policy of
the MOSCOW government to allow the
partition of Russia SO long as the new
governments were Bolshevik in pol
icy and sympathy.
| Neither the Moscow government nor
the Chtta government was invited to
participate in the international con-
ference. The soviet government is al
READY On record officially as saying
II VIII not be bound by any Wash
ington decision affecting Russian in
terests and the soviet still holds ST.
IBERIA to be part of Russia.
Japs Hold Vladivostok.
The Siberian question has been com
| plicated by the fact that japan has &C.
e1ipied with troops the great port of
w. TIiad q, the eastern terminus of
the Transsiberian railway and the chief
Siberian city on the Pacific. Japan.
Wh1e promising to withdraw her
troops, when a stable government
can take hold at Vladivostok and ad-
minister affairs has, on the contrary,
extended her zone of military occupa.
ton, north, south and west of Vladi-
Yostok
It is the policy of the United States
! not to open any of the German prob
Ien1s IN europe covered by the treaty
or versailles, aitho discussion of lirni-
tation of land armament natural Iv
would cover Europe as well as Asia
and America.
/ One important angle of the confer
: ence lies in the possibility that the
powers might take up the question OF
international war debts, either df-
rectly or indirectly. This, however. Is
believed to be most unlikely. The best
! that the foreign delegates, who came
WIN tA4O l4Op6 lHdC aimed debts
would be considered, are likely to eel
, Is a possible promise that a future
conference will be called to discuss
debts. world finance and economics
generally.
i Avoid Debt Question.
The United States does not want the
, debt question considered. 1t was moi
included in the agenda and American
OFFICIALS have made it plain beyond
Misunderstanding that financial obIiga-
tions and economic problems should
not be considered at this time
= There are numerous "unoffieiap
missions here. Each represents q
country that feels that its sovereign
rights" have been violated thru sub
Jusation to bigger nation. They seeE
their independence These missions
come from such places as India, Egypt
Korea and South China. There Il