The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-09-17
RED INFLUENCE
SPREADING IN
MONGOLIA
Soviets May Get Oriental
FoothoId as Tribes
Revolt
By LLOYD LEHBRAS.
international News Service.


NEW YORK, Sept. 17.-Mongolia.
fountain of the barbarian hordes
which for centuries have swept
out of the heart of Asia under the
Great Khans to conquer, is in
revolution, writhing in the pains
that will some day result in the
birth of a new nation, according
to cables from Picking.
And on the result Of the revolu-
tionary movement in progress in
that wild, little known stretch of
hinterland depends whether Mon
go!ja will continue as a dependency
Of China, become a Republic, or be-
come a part of the Russian Soviet.
At present the country is in tur-
MOL, with straw strong enough
to turn the tide into any of these
three channels.
That the revolution in Urga, the
Monaghan capital. occurred at
time when China is on the verge OF
a great civil war that bids fair to
embrace the entire country from
the high mountains Of the far in.
TERROR, down to the China Sea indi.
Gates that the Soviet theme is pre-
dominant, temporarily at least;
but only time will tell the last
chapter Of the story.
Horde of NOmads.
Mongolia is a tableland, fringed
with some of the highest mountains
IN the world, in the very heart of
the Continent of Asia, with popu.
lation Of 1000, 900, of various tribes,
widely scattered throughout the
country. From the beginning of
history 1t has been the cradle of
nomadic tribes which, at crucial
moments, have swept like prairie
fire over the plains toward China
and the sea, pounded at the very
gates of the proudest cities of the
Far and the Near East and Eu.
rope, oVerthrown ancient civiliza-
tions and reshaped the destines OF
the nations of the world.
Internal Strife.
On December 1. 1911, the Mon.
golian princes took advantage of
their opportunity and carried out
successful coup d'etat in Urga, the
Mongolian capital, forcing all the
Chinese officials to leave the coun-
try and setting up the Living
Buddha, their spiritual leader, as
the ruler of the country, assisted
by five boards, with administrative
functions.
From the very beginning, how.
ever, Mongolia was split into two
parties that have fought each
other. The pro-Russian party has
always attempted to secure assist
ance from, first, the Russian eIa.
pire, and of late from the Russian
Soviet. to bolster up Mongolia as
an independent buffer state and
adopt a belligerent attitude toward
China. The pro-Chinese o1rty, I'M
der the control of some Of the pow
erful Iamas, or priests, of the Lama
Church. has a spirit of friendly CO.
operation with the Chinese govern
ment.
Chiefly through the power ex-
erted by the Djeb.tsung Damba HUI.
tukhtu, the Living Buddha of
Urga, third in rank in the Lamaist
hierarchy, the Chinese faction has
grown in strength until within the
last year it has assumed practical
control of the country.
EARLY. in the year, however. the
Living Buddha died. and, before an
other Living Buddha could be
chosen as his successor. the Boil
shevists were able to influence
enough Monogram princes 10 nave
the country declared a republic
and throw off all allegiance to
China.
Red InfIuence Felt.
The situation at the present time,
therefore, is that Mongolia is
theoretically under the control of
China and administered by a Chinese
encouragement, or Amaba, at
Urga; but in reality, because of the
excessive weakness of the central
government at Picking and the in
sidious propaganda spread through
the steppe country by the Boil
shevistS, is without government, eX.
cept that administered by the more
powerful of the Lamas and their
followers.
If Mongolia secures it's freedom
and becomes a republic it will al
most certainly become buffer
state, whether under the influence
Of Russia or Japan. point still to
be decided Because of the efforts
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