The New York herald., 1922-10-06
Moscow Reaches Out to the East.

The northern Pacific island of Sag
| halien, the fate of which the world
believed was definitely settled at the
Portsmouth peace conference in 1905,
has reappeared as a troublemaker.
Alone the issue might have been cas-
| lily disposed of, but it has brought in
its train tangled mass of Far East
complications. There is the mystery
I of who sold the Czecho-Slovaks' arms
to Chinese bandits and there are the
questions as to whether the Bolshe-
visits are to rule at Vladivostok or
whether the Eastern Republic will
stand against them and whether the
Japanese really intend to leave
Siberia.
Saghalien is a long, narrow island
off the Siberian coast northeast of
Vladlvostok. 1t is separated from
Yezo, the most northern of the Jap
anese islands, by the Strait of Soya,
only few miles wide, and it pos
sesses considerable mineral wealth,
agricultural possibilities and a con-
troll over the fisheries in the neigh
boring waters. Japan insisted upon
having it after the Russo-Japanese
war; Russia, however, objected, say
ing that if the Japanese possessed
Saghalien they would dominate the
east Siberian coast and its commerce
with the world The Portsmouth con-
ference settled the matter by dividing
the island into two parts, awarding
the northern part to Russia and the
! southern to Japan.
AS there is large japanese popu-
lation there Japan has for years
looked longingly upon the island.
Moscow knew this and was thrown
| port that the japanese were in oc-
cupation of the whole of Saghalien.
The Japanese made no denial of the
report but declared they were holding
the island only as a guaranty of a
settlement for the indignities to
which they were subjected at Nico-
laievsk when they went into east
ern Siberia to maintain order and
protect the foreign population.
From this evidence of its extreme
activity in the Far East it becomes
clear that Moscow is still interested
in the Siberian coast and that the
plans for self-government which the
different factions at Vladivostok have
formulated will meet with Bolshe-
visit opposition. The last govern
ment to attempt to take over the
control of the eastern Siberian prov
inces was that headed by General
DmDERIcHs. formerly commander OF
the Czecho-Slovakian forces. In
looking over the assets of his new
State he discovered that the arms
and ammunition which the Czecho-
Slovaks left at Vladivostok had dis
appeared. Investigating further he
found that they had been sold to his
enemy, CHANG Tso-LIN, the Chinese
bandit, for use against him.
AS the insinuation was made that
the Japanese had sold the arms Baron
KATo, Japan's Premier, began an in
vestigation which opened up the old
struggle between the Japanese War
Department and the japanese For
eign Office. Baron KATo declared
that the stand which Japan had
taken at the Washington conference
made It imperative that Japan's real
part in the matter should be dis
closed to the world. If this was not
done he threatened to resign his Pre-
miership. The investigation put the
blame for the sale upon a clique
OF officers, and against these men, II
is stated. the Government will take
drastic action. IL also brought out
renewed assurances from Toxic that
the japanese are evacuating Siberia
and that the last troops in the coun-
try will be withdrawn to-day.
The situation at Saghalien be-
Genes somewhat interesting to
America on account of the statement
of the Soviet's Foreign Minister,
KARAHAN. to the effect that he expects
to obtain American collaboration in
the development of the oil fields Of
Kamchatka, and that he hopes for
extensive trade between Siberia and
American and Canadian ports. Amer
lea will accept this for what n Is