Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 1918.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 14574, 9 April 1918, Page 4

Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 1918.

THE SIBERIAN SITUATION. The landing of British and Japanese troops at Vladivdstock, reported yesterday, though' ostensibly taken for the preservation of order at the Russian terminal port, whei-e large numbers of Japanese and other foreign residents ai*e located and where there are large supplies of war material sent by the Allies to Russia to help the latter country m her struggle against the Germans, is really the beginning of a new phase of the great war, and we may expect m the near future to see momentous developments m the Far East. It is- a step that has been anticipated for some time past, and has now been forced on tlie .Allies by the rapidity with which the Germans have been extending their influence throughout Russia, and shaping plans for military : aggression m the East as well as the West. All prejudices against the Japanese and fears of an Oriental Empire ruling the world have had to gor "before the more real danger of a . Prnssiah Empire extending throughout Russia and menacing Asia as wfcll as Europe. The issue has become this, that either tho Japanese must be 'permitted to occupy as much of Siberia as they want or the Germans will take all they can 'get. The German armies may have .reached only as far as Finland and close to Petr'ograd, but it is quite certain that the German agents and advance guard have already reached Vladivostock. A considerable force of released German prisoners has been organised at Irkutsk, and to counteract its mischievous operations it became absolutely necessary that measures should be taken to prevent that foi*ce securing domination of the whole of Siberia.. The Bolsheviki, prompted by the German agents ; are already raising an ugly outcry agaanst the Allies* intervention, but the plain fact of '[. the matter •is that whilst we,, were anxious to stand by Russia as lohgjas we; could;, when we found" she was unable to stand by herself and prevent the domination of her country by Germany it became- our duty to act for her and. for ourselves, and to adjust matters ; with the Russians later, on. Japan has taken a perfectly correct attitude- m regard to this matter, and the fact that« British forces wete landed with the Japanese indicates that she is acting m full concert with the Allies. Japanese diplomacy has been singularly guarded ever since the capture of the German- naval base on the shantung peninsula. The Mikado's Ministers and ambassadors have spoken freely on matters which did not matter, but they have preserved a significant silence m regard to vital questions. Rumors have been current, but no one was permitted to know definitely why Japan was keeping so large an army fully equipped but doing nothing. Some \vere of the opinion that it -was being kept as a reserve for action m the event of a catastrophe to the Allies on the West front, and there were those who even ventured to hint at a Prusso-Jap-anese understanding. With the collapse of Russia the silence of Japan became more and more audible, while it became the greatest of all' international puzzles when the Bolsheviki threatened the complete ruin of their country, the country to which the Japanese- had made sucli* large advances m the way of money and'' r ammunitioh. Was. nothing to be I drfriß< l t6 preserve Japanese, credits, or was Jai^aaf;. like Germany , waiting / for the Ru§st?in :'' national suicide, arid. a. chance to carve the Russian corpse? To all these questions comes the answer that Japan is now preparing, and is doubtless fully prepared, to resist; C4evman plans m East Russia and to take possession of Siberia. Japanese diplomacy scores an initial victory m that it permitted the Kaiser to begin the carving of Russia to an extent not demanded by the exigencies of warfare. Japan is now on the defensive, no matter how fay she advances into Siberia. Nor can anyone protest, since it is not only a military measure taken against Germany but >a legitimate precaution for .security ' for the ; money and supplies furnished to' Russia. Occupation for the payment of debts would be sufficient excuse, but there is the greater excuse of warfare agaipst Germany . Germany's expansionist aims tonust be '■frustrated* If he could V scourer territory large enough m, Russia, the Kaiser would not: need to f bother v. about ,his African colonies, or Belgium, or Northern France or , even Alsa'ge-Lofraine.. With enormous; areas;, for' cultivation of; all the food required,^ with' practically unjimited mineral, and other ■resources at Jiis and^ with a. splendid -V market ; ; for" tt his manufactures ,">Wilh elm .^(jould •••■ begin, to yield the' various demands the. Allies on) the jjWest^ front, ' giving a;.little. .at a time, .until, finally m -utter weariness a compromise effected. The Kaiser woiild • have ? lost .' the ,war; but Won^ a mightyv Empire, 'and <'he.. could go 'back demanding.; 1 the of .'his people as the only, war Jord .who had givenV liis country :mqie': tKan > it, had at the beginning: ..Eastward'or westward, what^does' it matter to'Wilhelm so' that' he makes gainst* But,.: with --this; m 'view, the.whole "war scene is / changed.- . The new danger, wouldf be the* Far/Flast, and-; here is v. where "Japan comes; m- as" the 'buffer between German jkultur and y Western' civilisation. •. Japan :has a good excuse for intervention to prevent^ the .< social.; and political- cnaos which- 'prevails, m Russia extending , very far j into Eastern Siberia. This * was ' explained .- . the ,•' other day< by Millard's ; Review, published. , at Shanghai. '•? The Review states that, while, the Bolsheviki"- have ' 'cancelled, all * obligationsof -the 1 Russian •Government 'held m foreign •countries, ■ theV- Japanese Government* isi punctually : paying all such> obligations., held -by Japanese subjects as theyj. become due, and -taking over .ythe securities. .» J » The,* Japanese, Government, therefore, 'becomes: the' direct .creditor of the ■i Russian > Government, and nobody who", knows anything about the Japanese Government will accuse it of throwing Its money! to the birds. - The Japanese Government intends to collect. If necessary, it will unquestionably- levy on what it -thinks an adequate area of Russian land. And /the Japanese are quite likely to take * very •- broad . views of What constitutes., an adequate area-. In entering Eastern .^Siberia; the Japanese are treading on familiar territory, where they had no ;!> difficulty ' iA-i'.malrin'g a considerable advance ' iri the ; Russo-Japanese war, and as it has (been reported from Tokio that large • armies have m training for- many months past, we may expect speedy developments, and a complete disarrangement of the plans of the Kaiser once the Japs get going, ♦