Evening star., 1922-01-14
The Chita Revelations"

When the newspaper headlines ran
large with Chita's revelation
through her unrecognized delegation
in Washington of alleged collusIon
between France and Japan in Siberia.
the editorial pages. while accepting
the denials of the accused nations. be-
gan to reflect a little back-thought on
the circumstantial evidence attend
ing the so-called exposures. Some be-
lieve France is to blame; some accuse
japan bitterly; while others are un-
moved by resentment toward either
nation, seeing in their respective
courses but the natural development
of the tides of world opinion.
For example. the indianapolis News
independently recalls the fact that
.'the allied and associated powers
where. for time. supporting those
who were fighting bolshevism, and
that there was a general feellng OF
thankfulness at the time that there
was in the east such strong power
as japan. a power capable os resist
ing the spread of bolshevism. The
policy Of Japan was nothing more
than that of the allied powers" Like
wise the Minnesota Star Gndepend-
ent) sees no reason. "if the charges
are true. why they should excite spe,
cial animosity against France and
Japan. Our government is proposing
to place its seal of approval upon
similar international agreement. Great
Britain and Japan during the war
concluded a secret division of the
spoils of the Pacific. Now the four
power treaty asks the United States
to underwrite the splitting of the
The Knoxville Sentinel Gndepend-
ent democratic), while disposed 'at
first blush to dismiss the charges"
feels that "France has been so unre-
liable and preposterous in all Of her
dealings with the other I powers etsoda IN
have been so calculating, clandest.ne
and uncandid-' and believes her dis
pcsition may account for Japan hav-
ing been led into it." On the other
hand, the Waterbury Republican (re-
nublican) thinks ''it does not matter
whether or not Japan is there with
French support; the important thing
is that Japan is there and she seems
likely to stay there. SO far as any
action by the conference will serve
to oust her." This view fails to dis
turb the Buffalo Express Cndependent
republican,, which thinks that, since
"the Russians have little more tnan an
an imperialistic claim" on Siberia, III
the Japanese are willing to undertake
the responsibilities Of a protectorate
over eastern Siberia, resolution or
treaty conferring it upon them might
be a very wise step for the Wash
inpton conference to take" THE
virtue of the Chita revelations in
tha opinion Of the Des Moines Regis
ter Independent republican,, lis that
thew do give US sharply again a
nict,1re of the unfixed state of things
In the east" but it feels that there
10 no reason why we should be in
fluenced in our attitude toward either
Erance or Japan as friendly nations"
There seems to be a general de-
mand for further Information on the
points covered in the allegation; since.
as the Philadelphia Public Ledger
independently says. rev deter
handful of equally reckless Japanese
miiitarists' might give the soviets
a new lease Of life by furnishing
them with a new invader to fight"
and the Grand Rapids Press unde.
pendentl feels that their scheme
does not greatly vary from their
recent policies>towar Russia" The
brooklyn Eagle independent demo-
cratic) potes that the charges CON
tain so much that is. plausible. SO
much in line with accepted French
and Japanese policy" that ut is Inn
portant to remember" that "the big
questions relating to China and ST.
beria. upon which peace In the far
east depends, have not been an
swered" and that 'illusions on that
score are out Of place." 1T is curious
that with the conference nearing its
end the Siberian question remains in