The Dominion WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 1918. JAPAN'S PART

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 143, 6 March 1918, Page 4

The Dominion WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 1918. JAPAN'S PART

To many people the seeming reluctanco on the part of Japan to interfere in Russia, and the objections raised in America and elsewhere to action of the nature sug- ,' gested, may occasion surprise. At 1 first sight it would appear that to / allow matters to go froni bad to worse without attempting to lend a helping hand to check the spread of anarchy and disorder from European Russia to the eastern portion of the Eussian Empire would be the height of folly. For the Allies to stand idly by and permit the huge stores of supplies and munitions of war which have been accumulated at Vladivostok and at depots along the Siberian railway to bo destroyed by revolutionaries acting under German guidance, or to permit them to fall into German hands, would certainly suggest incredible- weakness. But there is another side to the question—several sides, in fact. In the first place Japan, while she has faithfully fulfilled her pledges and fully'observed the conditions of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, has at no stage of the- war shown any inclination to send troops overseas. Japanese sentiment has been opposed to any such step save under the compulsion of necessity. The late Marquis Okama, ex-Premier and five times a member of Cabinet., in explaining Japan's position a -few months ago, said England had been a good friend to Japan, so Japan Bwept the Germans out of the Orient and off the Pacific. She had policed the Pacific with her warsliips, escorted Australian and New Zealand 'troopships, and had sent her small craft to the Mediterranean to hunt submarines. But, he admitted, public opinion was against sending Japanese soldiers to Europe, and he gave some of the reasons, thje chief of which were the difficulties of transport and supplies and the fact that it was not felt that sucli_ a course was necessary. The one thing above all others which in his view would change Japanese opinion in this respect would be any likelihood of a German advance east through Russia, either now or as .the result | of victories later. It is obvious that that contingency has now to be faced, and it is equally clear that] the veteran Japanese statesman's an-: 1 ticipations of the effect of such a : situation on the attitude of his j countrymen were- well founded. ' Japan has now come forward ready to move troops into Siberian Eussia I for the protection of the supplies sent there by the Allies. Yet Japan obviously has moved I with every appearance of reluct- ! ance, and the reason for this prob- ! ably lies deeper than the disinclinai tion of her own people to assume ' a heavier share of the burden of the j ! war. Japan is on very delicate I ground. It will havo been noted that a section of the American Press ] has shown no enthusiasm for interj ference on the lines that have been suggested. There is a hint of subpicion that Japan may seek to gain advantages from her occupation of j Vladivostok which might at some I future time prove prejudicial to the i interests of other nations having relations with the Far East. Thedoubt, too, has- been expressed whe- j ther Japan could render any effec- < tivo service against German aggrcs- : si on in Russia by moans of operations which would bo handicapped by the necessity of relying on the trans-Siborian railway as the uiain ■ means of transport. And furthor- ! more there is the fear that action i by Japan in Eastern Siberia would i be taken by the Bolshcviki as an attack on tho Revolution and an act of ' hostility on the part of the Bntente

Powers. This last is the strongest and most serious of the objections that have been suggested or hinted at. The fact that China is said to be. co-operating with Japan should satisfy those who are concerned for the future interests of China; but the attitude of the Russian people, and more especially the leaders of the Revolution, towards the move now in progress is unquestionably a matter of deep concern to the Allies. The authorities at Washington plainly are anxious to have it made I quite clear that the Japanese occu- ■ pation of Vladivostok and any further measures which it may be found necessary to take for the protection of Allied interests in Russia are not only withqut any hostile intention towards Russia or the Revolution, but that they are I merely of a temporary nature and that the- Japanese ' forces will evacuate Russian territory when the present emergency has passed. Unless the leaders of the I Bolsheviki aro satisfied on this ' point, and unless the Russian people generally are made to realise that the step taken is aimed at the common enemy, Germany, there is a distinct danger that Germany may turn the situation to profitable account. Under the chaotic conditions which exist in Russia to-day, with the' country full of German agents and spies, the Japanese advance into Siberia might conceivably be magnified and distorted into a hostile in vasion, and the bewildered Russians he induced to turn in desperation to Germany for holp. Already wo find it being suggested in the Gorman Press that Germany will help Russia against the invader, and no doubt we shall l\ear a good deal more of this sort of thing. Much will depend on developments in Russia during the next week or two. If, as is still possible, there is a stiffening in the resistance to Germany's outragooiis demands; if the coming meeting at Moscow decides to continue to fight on for better terms, then Japan's active intervention may be welcomed and may create unexpected embarrassments for the Central Powers in their Eastern campaign. This, howovcr, in view of the demoralisation which has spread over Russia has the appearance of rather a forlorn hope. Japan's part may be restricted to purely protective measures at Vladivostok, and it would be unwise at present to build any high hopes on the move our Ally is now making.