THE FAR EAST

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 9957, 29 April 1918, Page 6

THE FAR EAST

EXTENSION OF THE WAR JAPAN’S PART IN SIBERIA. (Prom Our Special Correspondent.) LONDON, March 6. Satisfaction is expressed that Allied Ministers are now giving serious attention to the new problems presented by rile Russian collapse, and the hope is that Japan will at last he invited ’to intervene to redress the balance of tiiie position. It is said that General r uch u aimed the Allied Ministers at Versailles last November of the situation ciiat would ha produced when (uxamiuny begun to tr-uuip.e on ixuosia o prostrate uu-uy, ana tin* nuiente oov-' eimiaeuts cannot ha accused, therefore, or any precipitate action, due belter a 'mat tile task that will oo assignee to Japan in me first instance will bo t-bat of enforcing pacificatory measures in Siberia.

Even with this limitation it is a tremendous task to undertake. 'Her transports will not be subject to the unwelcome attentions of submarines in Far Eastern waters, but the landing of troops at Vladivostok will only signalise the commencement of her work. The Trans-Siberian railway, over which any troops will have to be carried, has fallen into a serious state of disrepair consequent on Russian neglect and the heavy war traffic it has carried during the last two or three years. The extent of this war traffic may be gauged from the bald statement appearing in the newspapers that, if Japan does not intervene half a million tons of ammunition at present standing on the railway or stocked at Vladivostok may fall into the hands of the enemy. The danger of thi s is patent enough. Large numbers of Austrian and Gorman prisoners are being released by the Bolsheviks in Siberia, and if they can obtain arms there is .nothing to prevent them seizing the railway and extending German influence into the Far East. ALLIED CO-OPERATION.

To what extent America may cooperate is not at present known, but clearly Japaij must play the predominant role. After Siberia has been saved from falling under German - influence more active co-operation on the part of the Allies may bo possible, and the hope is that the saner and l more moderate elements in Russia may then rally to the side of the Entente Powera. In that event the formation of a voluntary and well-paid Russian army might even yet be possible, in which case the Eastern front might still play a. determining part in finishing off the war. Support in this direction is more likely to be forthcoming from amongst the Cossacks in tho Don region than from the chaotic elements in the north of Russia, though ‘ even these latter would stand to benefit materially from any organisation .of tho food resources of Siberia which Japan is able to achieve.

The possibility that in pursuance of this policy Allied troops may become involved in the civil strife of Russia is recognised, hut it is difficult to see how this danger can be avoided in the situation that presents itself. The immediate problem is to prevent Germany from exploiting in the Far East the successes won in Russia. Unfortunately tho Trans-Siberian railway is ill-equipped at present for the gigantic task likely soon to he imposed upon it. Over five thousand miles in length, and constructed at a cost of over a hundred millions sterling, it consists only of a single track through the greater part of its length. No provision was made when the embankments were thrown up for the future doubling-of .the line; the cuttings are so narrow and so steep that travellers expect every shower to bring tons of earth rolling down on to the line, and all the bridges have been built to admit only of a single pair of rails. No doubt the traffic, which sprang up like magic, far exceeded all calculations, but it will require all the skill of American and Japanese engineers to adapt tho railway to the needs of the present situation.