San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-14
Lavish Foreign Offices Of
Today Quite a Contrast
to Dingy Quarters in
1921-Minister Tchitch-
erin Talks Of Situation at
Home and Abroad.
BY +. a. M'KENZIE.
Special Cable to The San Antonio Light
and the Chicago Daily News.
DOWNRIGHT 1898

A1VlhlC anu hUIV0Os
BY f. A. MKENZIE.
Special Cable to The San Antonio Light
and the Chicago Daily News.
Copyright. 1888.
Moscow, Russia, Sept. f4.-Two
years ago a small group of foreigners
OF whom the writer was one, gathered
in Moscow and laughed uproariously at
the suggestion of a Russian official
that the foreign office should install
liveried attendants to conduct chllers
to those receiving them.
The foreign office was then in a
corner suite of bare, akward rooms in
a former hotel, with narrow staircases,
dark corridors. shabby attendants,
cramped cubby holes for offices and ILL.,
clad soldiers guarding the entrance
way.
1t was then impossible to afford
even adequate electric lights.
Today the writer re-entered Russia's
foreign office. now commanding a set
of great buildings with elegant rooms.
uniformed attendants with gold braid
on their collars, and an adequate eleva-
tor service.
The foreign minister's personal set
of rooms consists of triple set of Of
fees with a smart sentry at the outer
door.
Tchiteherin's own room with its fine
decorations and beautiful bronzes
might have housed Talleyrand.
Russia in her new burst OF prosper
ity. of which every street in Moscow
bears witness. is fully restoring dig
nifty to her official life.
Tchitcherin himself. two years ago
haggard. careworn. shirt sleeved and
overworked. now bears a benignant,
leisured air and looks as though his
years of short rations had really come
to an end.
incidentally. despite his seeming
leisureliness. he still, if reports can be
believed. works close on to twenty
hours a day.
Talk Of Japan.
Our talk turned first to Japan. 1t
was suggested that Russia must gain
from Japan's misfortune.
Tchitcherin warmly resented the
suggestion. Russia, he declared. did
not propose to attempt reaping bene-
fit from the disaster that had befallen
her neighbor.
"Our attitude naturally is one OF
sympathy" he said. 1--WE desi TO
help in every way We can. Japan's
main strength is still unbrolen.
"The main part Of her fleet is still
| in being, her chief industrial cities are
intact and her banks and mint remain.
1--WE hope that one result of the ca
tastrophe may be to strengthen the
more modern group of her statesmen
and weaken the power OF the purely
military party.
.aThe task which lies ahead of Japan
must for years to come be mainly re-
construction. She will devote her at
tention TO this and not TO military ex-
pansion. :,
This may create more friendly
attitude towards Russic~ and may ia.
cilitate the settlement Of questions still
open between us.
PRUSSIA desires ard has worked for
tbe establishment of full and friendly
relations with Japan and reopening OF
free intercourse between our people.
"Such a settlement would give japan
a peaceful background to her Pacific
front and would open up for her great
commercial possibilities on the main
land Of Asia.
"Our position is clearly defined.
We shall nay no idemnities and yield
no territory. Northern Sakhalien il
ours. $50.
I'VE ask for it but we are willing,
when it is restored, to grant Japan
liberal commercial concessions there
concessions that will conflict in no way
with existing agreements like that
with Sinclair.
1--WE suggest that a sponge should
wipe out the old claims each holds
against the other and that We start
afresh with clean states"
| 1.-THE position in China shows no inn
| movement. The root of the difficulty
is that the military governors of the
provinces assume independent powers
and seize the taxes for the mainten.
| ance of their armies. There is no one
strong enough to control them.
| The various powers have accentuat-
ed the difficulty by supporting individ-
ual governors with arms and money.
| China's ono hope of reform consists in
sbuilding up a strong representative
government able to control the military
governors
There is no outstanding man in
China. Gen. WI Pei-fu promised well
| for a moment but even in the hour OF
his victory he as unable to control
other parts Of the country,
mo his influenme is declining great
ly and Gen. Chang Tso-lin, despite a
| temporary defeat, now holds stronger
place.
Education Is llt- led.
'sThe remedy for China's ills is to
educate the Chinese people politically
and teach them until they insist upon
a real central government directly rep
sesentative Of the people.
Foreign armed Intervention IN
China will effect no permanent good
and Russia is opposed to it.
"Mongolia's position has some out
standing problems which Russia is at
tempting to solve by friendly media
ton. Mongolia is willing to remain
within China's dominion only upon
condition that China grant her people
complete autonomy similar to that OF
the dominions within the British en-
pire.
mongolia. however, will not permit
China to resume her old position by
which Chinese troops inflicted great
suffering and loss upon the Monaghan
people and Mongolians were forbidden
TsI- hA q