The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-04-29
PRIMITIVE REGION
UOF ASIA IS OPENED
BY SOVIET PROJECT.
iron Horse viii Thunder Into
Turkestan With Its Once
Forbidden Gates
VAST AGRICULTURAL PLAN
Aim Is to Develop Sufficient
Supply Of Wheat and Cot
ton; Also Military
VAST AGRICULTURAL PLAN

Ainabulak, kazakStai1 SOVlet II.
public, April 2o.-ReOver lifeless
deserts, ~traSkless plains and people,
less mountain lands. once traversed
by Alexander. the Great and Tanner
lane, the. conqueror. the Soviet gov
eminent, Monday, opened q modern
LOO mile long railroad Of Its own
construction. connecting the present
Central Asia railroad at Arts. Uzbek-
istan. with the great Trans.Stberian
railway at NQvosibirsk.
The new road changes the whole
face Of middle Asia and transforms
Kaxakstan. which Is the largest anto-
nomous republic within the Soviet
federation, into q region Of great po-
tential economic significance.
Built by Themselves Alone
Next to the huge Dnieperstroy hy-
d~ro-electric plant on. the Dnieper
river, which Is being supervised BY
Colonel Hugh L. Cooper. noted en-
gineer Of New York. this new rail.
road. built entirely with native labor
and without foreigntechnical or finan-
cial assistance. Is the greatest single
mechanical achievement Of the Com.
munist government since 1t came Into
power IL years ago. It cost $l0O.OOo,-
900 and its construction occupied Tour
years.
At the ~dedicatory ceremonies and
celebrations, which will occupy sew
eral days, were q number Of high gov
eminent officials and q large group
Of American and foreign correspond
ents, q special train having taken
them over the 5,000-milc journey from
Moscow. It was the first time In the
history Of Russia that so many for
eirners were admitted into the for
hidden gates Of Turkestan, the whole
Of Asiatic Russia having previously
been closed to foreigners. both by the
Cxarist government and the Soviet
regime, on account Of its proximity
to the Chinese. Afghan and Indian
borders.
WIN Transform Primitive Area
The Importance Of the new railway
rests In the fact that 1t Will enable
the government to supply to the prtm-
tive and undeveloped areas Of Turke-
stan great quantities Of wheat at low
prices from the rich graneries OF ST.
IBERIA and clso unlimited supplies OF
timber from the vast Siberian forests.
Turkestan will thus be freed from the
necessity Of raising wheat itself ana
will be able, in consequence, 70 en-
large it's present cotton-growing terri
tories. The Soviet government ex-
poets this expansion of the cotton
growing fields to make the Sovlet
union independent Of the United
States and Egypt for its cotton sup
ply. on .'hich, In the past, it had
spent o than SO, 000,0 900 annually.
The government also will be able
to export abroad the wheat which 1t
now sends to Turkestan from the
Volea, the Ukraine and the North
Caucasus. When the $250, 000,00 t-
rieation works in Turkestan, which
are being supervised by Arthur Powell
Davis, Of Oakland, Calf, formerly
head Of the United States reclama.
ton service, are completed. the Soviet
government expects even to export co.,
ton.
OF Strategic Value Against China
Already scores of new settlements
have sprung into life along the Turk
db railroad, with schools, hospitals
and workmen's homes ~displacing the
nou,adic squatters ana supplanting
tho old patriarchal life Of the dwell
lers with modern Communist forms OF
government.
AS the new line parallels the Chi
nese frontier for a distance OF about
100 miles, it also has great military
and strategic importance. but 1t Is IN
an economic and industrial sense that
the railroad will be Of most value.
The line not only unites Siberia with
central Asia, but brings the Soviet
union within reach Of the great west
ern Chinese markets which heretofore
remained isolated, 0ptng to the Lack
Of communications.