Evening star., 1934-10-28

CONTINUED From Third Page)
these menacing assumptions. She is
aware also Of the growing value of
Mongol good will, Mongol support,
Mongol alliance. Strengthening her
efforts to modernize MoEgols dwelling
within the u. 8. s. r. today, she also
realizes the importance Of cementing
friendship beyond the Red borders.
Outer Mongolia Is technically not
member Of the U. s. 8. r., yet many
of its leaders are orthodox Com
munists. They can take as MODEL
their neighbor Mongol state. which Is
fully Socialist: the Buriat-Mongol Re
public of Soviet Siberia. Very back
ward until 1917, the Buriat- Mongos
today are among the more progress
sive people in Russia's east. Iooay
they are building locomotive and car
repair plants, glass factories, coal. iron
and copper mines, packing houses, saw
mills, piece good factories-and
arsenals.
A generation ago in this land there
were few farms and practically no
cities. There were no machine INDUS
tries. and literacy among the innanl-
tants was rare. Disease was extensive,
Czarist Russian scientists declared
that the Buriat- Mongols were "oylng
race" Today oficial Russian informa-
ton claims that IS per cent OF all
homesteads in the republic have joined
collective farms. The population mas
shown its first increase IN centuries,
and nearly a third Of the now oOo,ooo
inhabitants have abandoned nomao-
ism. Roughly. 80 per cent OF the popu-
lation is nterate.
Change in Outer Mongolia moves
along similar lines. Until 1881 the
"socialization" process was slower.
Since the Japanese conquest OF Man.
churia, however, modernization has
become imperative. Direction from
Moscow has frightened and the republic
has become the scene Of brisk activity.
However, among the old Mongols
are elements hostile to reforms. Lead
ers of them are now inclined to look
with sympathy, If not envy, toward
neighboring Manchoukuo, and follow
the fate of the Mongols there, under
the liberal" japanese policy. Given
an opportunity they would probably
participate in the "Mongol unifica-
ton" movement which the Japanese
are expected to inspire in Hsingan.
Need Soviet Support.
Faced with such a crisis, could the
present government of Outer Mongolia
stand without the military support of
Soviet Russia? 1t is doubtful. Old
tribal forms are disappearing and titles
of nobility have either been abolished
or lost their currency; but the leveled
princely families might still command
many a dissatisfied Mongol in revolt.
Yet 1t should be mentioned that some
Of the young Red oficials are of noble
blood, and hence regarded as "uncer-
tain" in the event of counter-revolu-
ton; 1t Is not predictable which way
they might turn. The tensile strength
Of the Peoples Revolutionary Party
has not been vitality tested and can
not be while 1t remains the ward of
the Soviet.
But today there are few If any Rus
sian troops in Outer Mongolia. Why,
then, II the seed Of counter-revolution
is there, does it not germinate? 1t is
explained that the opportunity has not
yet come, that the Soviet government
controls Mongolia's supply Of arms and
ammunition, that it controls commu-
nications and funds. Mongols know
also that in an emergency Russian di-
visions unquestionably would be
brought in, as they were when the
present autonomous republic" was es-
tablished. Until outside help appears.
say the Japanese, revolt is doomed to
failure.
But II the Hsingan princes push into
Outer Mongolia, furnish the needed
arms, the help: II Japanese troops
back them, as they now back pro-
Manchoukuo troops in Chinese Inner
Mongolia; would Russian columns
repulse them, precipitating certain
war with Japan? Most observers
think they would. Russia's political
responsibility is to deep in Mongolia
to permit withdrawal as in Manchuria.
She cannot quietly watch Japan Sc
cure control over her Outer Mongolian
buffer state and prepare to strike at
and seize Siberia. For it is obvious
that until Japan holds the flank Outer
line she cannot seriously undertake
the war which so many Of her mill
tary leaders have predicted for 1896.
Building Up Red Army.
Anticipating hostile tribal political
moves, the Soviet advisers In Outer
Mongolia today are rapidly building
q flrst-class Mongol Red army loyal
to the U. S. S. R., led by ardent youths
educated ut Moscow. Though not
large, the army is mechanical to a
high degree, and. it is probably more
than equal to any Japanese-trained
Mongol troops now in Manchuokuo.
Other emergency" measures include
a new arsenal at Urga, flying fields
and planes. There are reported to be
more than 800 planes in Outer Mon
golia.
Meanwhile, what of China? What Is
her role in the triangle? Is she pas
sive spectator to this rapid transfor-
AhdeaoAA Va AiCA AOlulCI
do not permit her much
choice. Consequently, the Nanking
government is obliged devoutly to hope
that Russia and Japan will exhaust
each other at war before one of them
succeeds in dominating Western In
ner Mongolia, either In the form Of a
conquest or as puppet state.
Yet the political importance Of the
Mongol territory still under Chinese
control is tremendous. 1t Is strategic
to the command of North China as
far as the Yellow River. 1t is also the
main approach to the Great North
west" all of which today threatens to
break away from China. This rich
but undeveloped section comprises a
vast inner Asian corridor stretching
from British India to Manchoukuo,
with Soviet Russia everywhere loom
ing in the North. The key to eco
nomic and political mastery of that
corridor lies In Chinese Interior Mon
golia-what Is now called the prov
inches" OF Suiyuan, Chahad and
Ninghsia.
How to keep these provinces Is now
worrying Nanking more than the sta