Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-01-23
SIBERIAN ISSUE
IS WHEN JAPAN
IS GEL TING OUT
u. S. Feels Pressure of
Chita Situation as
1t Urged Occupation.
Far Eastern Matters
Expected to Catch Up
With Naval Situation.

Washington. Jan. 22.-(By the AS
sociated Press. 1.-THE problem of 81
IBERIA. the only topic on the agenda of
the Washington conference remaining
uneXplored, is TO replace the Chinese
questions this week as the paramount
concern of the delegates.
BY most of the delegations. the 81
berian situation is not expected to lead
to a long discussion and it was pre-
dicted generally Sunday night tka4 b..
the end of the week the far eastern
discussions would find themselves again
abreast of the almost concluded naval
negotiations.
The japanese. who expect Siberia
to be considered Monday by the far
eastern committee. Sunday received
from Toxic an expression of policy by
Foreign Minister Tchida. which they
regarded as determining the attitude of
their government against withdrawal
of japanese troops from Siberia until
n stable administration has been es-
tablished there. This position the
delegation is expected to lay before the
committee when it begins its Siberian
discussions. There is no indication
that any other power intends to dis
pute stubbornly the japanese stand.
The attitude of the japanese arms
the conference will follow closely the
policy announced by Count Uchida, it
was declared
In some quarters there is apparent a
belief that Japan should be invited to
set definite date for withdrawal of
her military forces. but the Japanese
delegates said Sunday night they had
no present intention of doing SO. Their
troops, they declared. were in Siberia
solely to protect japanese interests
during the unsettled conditions and.
therefore. it would be impossible to fix
withdrawal date until there are defi-
mite assurances of an Improvement.
Matter of Moral Trusteeship
In its discussions of Siberia. it was
pointed out. the conference will be in
somewhat different position than
when it considered China. the Chinese
government being represented here
and Russia being absent.
1t is recalled that on September 10,
in reply to an informal inquiry from
the unrecognized far eastern republic
at Chita. the state department in
structed the American minister at
Picking to tell the Chita authorities
that protection of legitimate Russian
interests must necessarily deyolve as
moral trusteeship' on all the gov
ernments represented in the confer
ence. 1t was added that the Ameri-
can government expected the confer
ence to Establish general principles
of international action" which would
meet with the approval of the people
of eastern Siberia.
u. S. Proposed Siberian Step
American officials have indicated
their sense of responsibility in that
regard repeatedly. particularly in view
of the fact that occupation of Siberia
by foreign troops was result of a
proposal by the American government.
which dispatched an expeditionary
force at the same time as the Japa
nese, the announced object being to
permit the proper evacuation of the
Czecho -Slovak troops.
When the American forces We're
withdrawn. the Japanese. although
they withdrew from inner Siberia, re
mained in the maritime provinces and
a part of the Amur district as well
MS the northern half of the island of
Saghalicn. i
1t is believed that the harassing of
the Japanese government in the diet
will induce the arms delegation to
hasten with it's work in order that
ii may present results before the diet.