Evening star., 1924-10-07
CHINESE RAILWAY ]
LIKE BURNING
interests Of Japan and Rus
sia Might Draw Them Into
Present Strife.


modern times, lies today like a stick
! or dynamite across Manchuria. with
sputtering fuses from diverse direc-
fions threatening to explode it.
Bound up in these 1.722 kilometers
OF track are vague possibilities of a
great war, according to reports re-
ceived here during the past few
| months from agents who have fol-
lowed in detail the Developments
which have led Chang Tso-lin, war
lord of Manchuria, to declare war
against the Peking government
recognized by all foreign powers as
the official government of China
The Chinese Eastern Railroad, built
| by Russians between 1895 and 1900
at cost of s150,900,00e, branches off
the Transsiberian main line near
Chita in the Transsiberian province
of Siberia, and extends to Harbin, in
northern Manchuria. Here it splits
into two lines. One extends east 20
Vladivostok. The other stretches
south across ManChuria in the direc-
ton OF Darien and Port Arthur.
About half this branch, however. is
known as the Southern Manchuria
Railroad and is under japanese con-
troll. 1t was largely over efforts of
Russia to extend the line to the sea
at Port Arthur that the Russian
japanese war was fought
Fell Into Soviet Hands.
With the Russian revolution five
years ago the Transsiberian fell into
the hands of the bolshevsxt authori-
ties An independent governments
however, was established at ,Chita.
controlling the eastern terminal of
the Chinese Eastern. The Chita gov
ernment fell, but the old Russian
owners retained control of the Chi
nese- Eastern establishing their head
quarters at Harbin, the junction point
in northern Manchuria. where they
received a measure of protection
from Chang Tso-lin.
MOSCOW has made repeated efforts
to obtain control of the line Nego-
tiations have been conducted both
with PekinS and with the Manchurian
war lord. Meantime the Russians of
the old regime have sat tight living
In Harbin, with something of the
splendor of Czarist days
Partial Return Made.
With the recent signing of the Chi
nese-Russian agreement, by which
China recognized the Soviet govern
ment and received an ambassador
from Moscow at Peking, arrange
ments were made for the partial re-
turn Of this road to Russia, with a
mixed directorate of Chinese and Rus
SLAMS. This agreement, it is con-
sidered probable here, was the cause
OF Chang Tso-lin's latest defiance of
the Peking government. The Man
churian war lord had remained quiet
since his defeat two years ago at the
hands of WI Pei-fu, general of
Peking and actual arbiter of Chinese.
destinies. But he was longing for an
opportunity of revenge.
He refused to accede to the treaty
entered into by his supposed su-
periors. Chang" as one official said
here yesterday. considers that the
Chinese Eastern runs through ms
back yard. He has consistently
blocked any plan to dispose of TINS
valuable property which did not~take
his claims fully into considerations
Chang was. it is reported conducting
separate negotiations with Moscow
on this matter when the war between.
two bushwhacking generals a thou
sand miles to the south for the cap
ture of Shanghai gave HIM an ex-
cuse to revolt from Peking and take
the war path once more. His actual
allegiance in the past hardly has
been nominal, it is claimed. His
power in Manchuria has been abso-
lutte.
Now Russia got practically every
thing she asked in the agreement
with PekinE. A victory for Chang,
with hts allies in Shanghai and the
forces of DR.. Sun Yat-Sen in Canton,
will nullify the gains of the Soviet
union from it's recent recognition.
The work will have to be done over
again or all hopes of obtaining the
railroad given up.
The Chinese Eastern bonds are
/ largely held in western Europe. par
| ticularly in France Some of the
chief objections to Chinese recogni-
tion of Russia We're based on fear
for the safety of these bonds. Thus
the civil war in China affects vitaily
the interests both of MOSCOW and
Paris. The Reds in Siberia, 1t Is
feared, might welcome the weaken
ing of Chang'S forces in Manchurla
because OF troop movements against
Peking, because the railroad Will be
left less guarded and possibly open
to seizure. The Moscow government.
it is claimed. entertains especial
animosity toward the white elements,
in Harbin who have detied it SO long
and retained their pre-war wealth.
The actual prospect that the road
would fall into the hands of the
Soviet government might bring
Chang recruits from unexpected
sources.
Japan interests at stake.
Japan also has vital interests at
stake in the disposal of the Chinese
Eastern. One end of the line mergts
with the Southern Manchuria. and
this. road in turn merges with the
Korean government railroad, also
under Japanese control. By means
of the junction with the Chinese
Eastern. Japan has an inlet to the
rich, undeveloped areas of Manchuria,
and probably would object strenuous
ly to the control of the line by Rus
sian bolshevists. Thus an alliance
with Chang becomes by no means an
impossibility, with the prospect Of
the great battles of the Russian
Japanese war fought over again.
Here are the possible .line-ups of
interests in case the present civil
war spreads beyond China itself:
]. Peking. the recognized Chinese
government: Russia. =
q. Chang .Tcolin. war lord of Man
churia; Sun Vat Sen, head of the
south China government at Peking;
Japan and the European bondholders.
Should these forces become involved
the spread of the conflict to other
nations would be more than a pos
sibility.
Officials here are inclined to scout
the possibility of any widespread
conflict. They point out that the
ordinary Chinese war is not so seri-
Gus as 1t appears on the surface.
since the soldiers arc not well trained
In modern military methods They
admit, however, that IL millions OF
| men became involved, even if casualt
ties were light. the situation would
| become very serious.