The New York herald., 1922-09-15
A Dictator for Vladivostok.

A new turn in the troubled condi-
tion of affairs in Eastern Siberia be-
comes apparent in the announcement
from Vladivostok of the selection Of
General DIEDERIcHs as dictator OF
the province of Primorsky. This
province, known now also as the
Primoria, is the most important OF
the Siberian eastern coast govern
mental divisions and has been the
center of the struggle between the
Bolshevists and anti-Bolshevists in
the Far East. Around it too revolved
much of the controversy regarding
the dispatch of a Japanese naval and
military force earlier in the year for
the declared purpose of maintaining
order and peace in Eastern Siberia.
General DrEDERIcH4 is perhaps bet
ter known to the outside world than
any other leader OF the various war
ring factions OF Eastern Siberia with
the possible exception of General
SEMENoFF He was the commander
of the Czecho-S -Slovakian forces which
reached vladivostok after the col
lapse Of the Cars armies. He had
been an officer in the Imperial Rus
sian forces and it was principally on
account of his statement of condi-
tions that the Allies undertook the
roI;af ovd xbo frorrrorto tto,, xo fba;r
homes In Europe of the Czecho-Slo-
vakian troops. He was one of the
chief supporters of General KoLcHAK
in his efforts to overthrow Bolshe-
vism and to establish a government,
in principle sort of local autonomy,
for Siberia.
While he and SEMENoFF cooper
ated in KoLcHAK's unfortunate expe-
dition they did not agree in the mat
ter Of the control of the Primorsky
province. SEMENoFr was proclaimed
by his officers supreme ruler of the
new State set up at vladivostok, but
he was deposed shortly afterward
when new group Of anti-Bolshevists
who had been under the command of
General KArpELL occupied the town
and organized new government
headed by S. D. MERKULov. While
this government was recognized as a
temporary expedient MERKULov took
the title of President. General DrE-
DERrcHs was, 1t is generally believed,
the power behind the throne. Finally
a Peoples Assembly, or Zemski So
bar, was chosen, and claiming to rep
resent a population of 100000 it
elected General DrEDEBrcHs dictator.
He was inducted into office by sol
emn service in the cathedral and the
seals Of office and the State records
were handed over to him by Presi-
dent MERKuLov.
The Japanese, 1t Is authoritatively
stated, have begun the evacuation OF
the region. They have left Spask
and they expect to have all their
troops away from Nikolayevsk. at
the mouth OF the Amur, before the
end Of this month. But the reports
add that as fast as bit OF territory
is evacuated there Is struggle
among rival claimants for its posses
sion. SEMENoFF, according to these
reports, is preparing a new army un-
der the assistance OF General CHANG
Tso-LrN, the Manchurian leader who
recently marched against the Pekin
Government. .SEMENoFr's aim is to
occupy the controverted territory
bordering on Manchuria. At the
same time the Kappellite faction has
been revived and is in the field tc
capture lands along the coast These
two forces and that Of General
DrEDERrcHs make three strong fac.
tions in contention for power and
territory In Eastern Siberia. The
Moscow Soviet enters into this strug-
gle through an announcement Of its
Foreign ONCE that il will aid either
OF the other two factions against