The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-12-10
LONG DELAYED
RUSSIAN FARLEY
MAY meet HERE
Factions May Get Together and
Hold BeIated Prinkipo
a. Conference.
BY WICKWIRE.
: (Copyright. i92l.)

By WICKWIRE.
Copyright. i92i.)
The Prinkipo conference, called and
then abandoned by former President
Wilson in the disillusioning post
armtstice days in attempt at settle
ment OF Russian problems, may have
an actual. though possibly informal
assembling herein Washington within
= few days. At least that is the
hope OF members of five of the six
groups representing differing Russian
factions In this city.
The personnel and ambitions of
five OF these groups was outlined in
an earlier article. In addition to the
Kerenslxy, Sadet. Monarchical, Far
Eastern Republic. and maritime
provinces commercial delegations
there enumerated, there is in the city
on occabion,, though he makes his
Headquarters In Boston, representa-
tive of the Merkulov government set
UP with the assistance Of the Jap
anese at Vladivostok for the civil
administration Of the Pacific coast
territories of Siberia.
There are indications here that
even to this government the Japanese
use OF military power Is becoming
trksonie and that a reproachment
with the other delegations is not i'm
possible.
+sst-s 1890 Stumbling Block.
The, real hitch In the efforts to bring
together all the groups on some meas
ure Of cooperation does not lie here.
but with the China delegation repre-
senting the Far Eastern Republic.
The members of this delegation,
quite naturally, perhaps. main hin
that as representatives OF govern
ment actually functioning, admin
strating with increasing efficiency a
territory larger in area than the en-
tire Japanese empire, they would not
be justified in associating themselves
formally, however they may JUSTIFY
the objective, with representatives o.
groups which, though they may have
numerous and influential membership.
have, no administrative standing any
where in Russia; three Of them, at
least, working vigorously for the
overthrow of the Moscow government
with which the Far Eastern RepubIc
Is on friendly terms. If not, as various
ly charged, in intimate relationship.
Whether or not the Chita delegation
win maintain this attitude of aloofness
indefinitely, IL is yet to early to deter
mine. 1t arrived in Washington less
than a week ago, and scarcely has had
time to feel out the situation here.
1t has tried to present It's credentials
to the State Department and has as
vet been given no definite word of a
refusal to accept them.
May Ask Cooperation.
When this. time comes they may
turn to- the idea of cooperation with
the other groups as the most effective
means of obtaining consideration.
Especially Is this likely should there
come an intimation, however indirect
6rsinfornaf, from The American State
Department that such unified appeal
might win official hearing. There are
strong influences at work to win over
the State Department, through its Rus
sian or Far Eastern divisions, to
father some such suggestion. Thus
far the suggestion has received but
slight encouragement officially, but
there is reason to believe that a high
official of the Administration is hav-
ing made an investigation as to its
possibilities.
In casting about for an objective
upon which all, with" the possible ex-
ception of the Murkulov representa-
tive, could act aggressively, one stands
out pre-eminent. All are unreservedly
agreed that the japanese must get out
of Eastern Siberia, From the extreme
right TO the EXTREMIST left opin-
ion Is unanimous that the activities of
Japanese forces in Siberia have been
responsible for some of the disorgani-
zation existing there, and that their
complete and early withdraw is the
first essential for the initiation OF
stable civil government, the establish
ment of security for life and property
and the resumption of normal bust.
ness elation ships
I'm the archives of the various dele
CATIONS there literally are stacks Of
documents" bearing out their charges
against the Japanese military.
These documents are not all from
partisan sources. The protest by the
commander of the famous Czecho-
Slovak legion against the horrors his
heroic army was compelled to wit
ness, helplessly, because of restric-
lions placed on his activities by
bureaucrats in the foreign offices of
Washington and the allied govern
n,ents. is a classic, too long buried in
the files of the State Department.
II Is no secret now that General
Graves, the commander of the Ameri-
can expeditionary forces in Siberia,
and c. II. Smith, head of the American
railroad mission there, were in hearty
sympathy with the Czecho-Slovak COM
nanderS views, ana made that faCt
known to their superiors in Washing
ton, where Mr.. Smith now is, trying to
help untangle a situation which, had
his repeated urgent recommendations
from Siberia been needed, would not
now have existed. The protest Of the
Czecho.Slovak commander, SEM
through his country's minister, vividly
presenting the picture of conditions
under which the Americans, as well
as himself, continuously have been
compelled to struggle, follows:
''Vladivostok, Nov. 16, 1919.
THE intolerable position of our
army compels us to address ourselves
TO the allied mowers asking them