Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-12-05
Geographic News
bulletins by the
National Geographic Society
EAR EAST

FAR EAST REPUBLIC
Evacuation of V~ladivostok by
the Japanese leaves the Far Eastern
Republic free for the working out
of a curious political experiment
unless the present system is over.
thrown by advancing Red troops"
a y a bulletin from the Washing
ton, d. c., headquarters Of the Ma
tional Geographic Society.
"Vladivostok's new Importance
arises because it is the port city of
the Far Eastern Republic. This re-
public, a new entity in problems OF
the Far East. is only a slice of vast
Siberia-the southeast corner in
fact-and comprises less than one
twentieth of the old Russian EN-
pire.
1.-THE rail distance from the port
of the new republic to Verkhne-
Udinsk, near Lake Baikal, where
the trans-Siberian railway cuts us
western boundary, is approximately
that from New York city to Bis
marck, North Dakota. Yet that dis
lance is only a third OF the way
across Siberia. And the Far East
ern Republic itself. in area, is great
err than Texas and California to-
gether.
What Grains Running Means
TRAINS have been running from
| yerkhne-Udinsk to Vladivostok, ex-
| cept for recent military interruption
but the running requires explana-
| ton, An American traveller tells
how, al intervals, the train stops
J while the conductor trudges along
side the cars shouting 'Tovarish-
chi-za' This is the call for passen-
gers to pile out and carry sticks
from adjacent woodpiles to the loco
motive.
This extreme application Of COM
| munism extends to passenger accom
modations. only officials CT the gov
| eminent can procure or
| private cars. The 'proletriat,' word
| that has a definite meaning in the
| Far Eastern Republic, may crowd
| into box cars and anybody is free
to pick out a corner for himself.
Generally this form of equal oppor-
\ tunities for all passengers resolves
itself into men, women n ch,l-
dren being herded into the cars
like so many cattle.
yet the Siberian peasant is not
| a communist in the sense of his
| Bolshevist neighbors in Russia. Inc
particular brand of his communism
is summed up by Junius b. WOOD
in a communication to the National
Geographic Society, substantially as
! follows:
Where Siberians Draw the Line
THE Siberian peasant averages
100 acres of land. He can have as
much more as he wants to cultivate.
1t is there for the taking. What he
raises is his own. He is willing to
! put his crop in the community store
hou5v the iGea of turning II
over to a government on the
strength of a promise of clothes,
tools or a free ride on b railroad
cannot be driven into his head. He
will ret accept communism to tina
extent
THE constitution of the Far East
ern Republic may have been a
handmade document when it was
presented to the 400 members OF
the first assembly, but it showed the
| changes of many handsome
crude. shrewd-beforo it emerged.
at guarantees rights Of private
property and goods; but all land.
rivers and mineral rights belong to
the state. They are leased in lieu
Of taxes and the novelty of paying
taxes is the test of the Siberian
peasants sincere support of the gov
eminent. To induce colonization in
Siberia, the old Tsarist government
not only RENTED taxes. but gave
bonuses of machinery, seed grain or
| cash.
Minority Representation Provided
Every citizen IS years old, re-
CARELESS of sex, religion, politics, or
previous nationality, can vote. Mi
nority representation is provided FOR
in national, state. county, city and
village governments.
give states are created on geo.
graphical lines and a sixth on en-
tirel, new lines-the autonomous
racial BuriatMongol state. COM
posed ct citizens at large.
THE fear of a dictatorship was
evidenced when, instead OF a single
president, a commission of seven,
known as The Government was
! elected by the assembly. The Gov
eminent is the highest executive
authority It names the premier
and he selects the sixteen cabinet
heads.
The church is separated from the
| state. A citizen is free to profess
| any religion or mons and religious
nyAr,,ction Is permitted only the