The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-04-21
BY WILLIAM PHILIP SIMMS
Scripps-HOward Foreign Editor

BY WILLIAM PHILIP SIMMS
ScriDps-Howard Foreign Editor
(Copyright 1884 bv NEA Service Inc1
PEIPING, April 2l-At best, the
inhabitants of Sinkiang- Chinese
Turkestan, "the country God forgot
are perhaps the most primitive
people in Asia, if not on the globe
At worst, they are fiends incarnate
Mohammedans for the most part,
they naturally hate Christians and
when not busy Strengthening in
fldelS' they turn on one another.
None of the tOrtures which thou
sands of years of experience have
taught them have they forgotten,
and every now and then they in
vent some new ones.
Recently a sausage caravan was
captured by band of these people.
For two weeks the caravan leader
was Systematically starved while his
captorS roasted toothSome morsels
of lamb and mutton over the Goals
where he could see and smell them.
Then he was crucif1ed and strips
of flesh, cut from his living body,
were offered to him to eat.
FIOut Chinese Control
Here, in the very heart of Cen
trail Asia, a spot so far away that
the average man scarcely dreams
of its existence, and which God
seems almost to have forgotten, is
one of the principal stages upon
which is being worked out the fate
of the continent.
Mostly deserts and GASES, Central
Asia. nevertheless, is crossed by great
rivers, one of them almost as long
as the Mississippi. But, strangely
enough, most of them just meander
out and lose themselves in the
burning sands.
Winters are so cold that an early
Russian expedition was practically
wiped out by billiards. while trying
to negotiate one of the deserts. OF
10000 camelS and 1000 men, only
a thousand each came back alive.
Four Nations Maneuver
In this hellish but historic region,
four nations vie for poSition-Great
Britain, Russia, Japan and China.
For China. it simply represents a
foPlorn hope to gain control over
territory which biographies mark as
hers.
For Japan, it is a far-reaching
effort to outflank her traditional
enemy, Russia
For Britain the motive is India.
Britain fears that if Russia should
ever assert herself in that vicinity,
India might be lost to the empire
Time and again Britain and Czarist
Russia were on the ragged edge of
war over the mountain passes along
Indias northern frontiers.
For Russia, a foothold in Central
Asia is necessary to maintain some
Semblance of balance between the
lion and the bear.
Threat Over India
Russia does not want India. Fifty
years ago the cars foreign minister
at St. Petersburg remarked in his
instructions to the Russian ambas-
Sador in London:
our position in Turkestan is
purely defensive. considering that
we have neither the intention to
menace nor any interest in menac-
ing England in India. But it gives
us a base for operations which if
required can become an offensive
one"
The meaning of this is clear.
Great Britain has many ways of
getting at Russia in Europe. while
Russia can not get back at Britain.
A strong position in Central Asia
to some extent remedies this Situa-
ton
CzariSt Russia frankly intended
that London should understand that
if Britain brought too much pres
sure to bear on her in Europe. she.
Russia, had a means of bringing
counter pressure to bear against
Britain in India.
There is no reason to believe that
Soviet Russian policy has materially
changed in this respect Govern
mentS change, but the problems of
national defense alter little.
Certainly Great Britain does not
believe Russian policy is altered.
She is still perturbed over the fu-
ture Of India. Accordingly she con-
tinues to tighten her hold on border
countries.
Japan Plans Ahead