JAPAN.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 April 1918, Page 5

JAPAN.

JAPAN'S POLICY.. TO WORK WITH RUSSIA, ' Received April 1, 1150 f.m. London, April 1. The Daily Chronicle's, Tokio correspop dent had an interview with Prime Minister, who denied that. Japan proposed intervention, also that the Government had received a joint; proposal from the Allios, but Blie would be bound to take prompt and appropriate meas- ■ urcs i£ Japaincso interests in Siberia, were threatened, in which case Japan would.'not flight against RuWia.. She would not imitate Germany's aggression. .•* Japan had a-' deep sympathy with the Russia* people, and was only anxious stosee safety and order maintained.

VLADIVOSTOK OF TO-DAY. i CHAOTIC OOS^raONS; MILES OF WAR MATERIAL. i * The' 'chaos which reigns at tok was graphically described by Mr.-C-H. Carter; an American traveller, in an, interview with an Auckland Herald, porter. Accompanied by Ms wife,, Mr, Carter went to Vladivostok from San: Francisco with tho intention of travel-* ling some distance east into Siberia* . tfience south through China, but the? difficulties were so and so uncertain t'hat the tour had to ibei abandoned, •. "Japan will have to step iu ancUpro-* tect the allies' interests in Siberia,"'saSi Mr. Carter, "if millions of pounds' worth of essential war material is made secure against Germany. For 'IS or -20 miles, tho 'beach at piled , with munitions and supplies oftajl descriptions—machinery, motor-ears by the hundred, steam and .. i tractors, copper and steel io r,' shells, and almost every essential in the way of war material. Much, of this great, dump was unloaded on to the ice, the materials being dragged to , the beadi and left there. The confusion and.muddle has been such that much of it is below liighwater level and when tha tide' comes in it is covered by water, which, in the case of tha machinery, must do great' damage. But this ia not t'he only place where there is"conr gestion of war supplies. Every terminal between the Pacific Ocean and the Ural Mountains is loaded with freight, because many of the railway depots along the route 1 have not the capacity .of Vladivostok: At the present time Vladivostok can handle about 300 cars ■ daily, tjie capacity of each being 15 or 20 tons, but Harbin can 'handle only .-. 150 to 200 cars daily, and this number . diminishes further on owing torthe, laolc of terminal facilities. All this, material, has come from America and Japan. 1 "

Referring to the conditions in Vladivostok, Mr. Carter said there was indescribable chaos and no certain form of authority. In the town there 'were • ,15,000 or 30,000 soldiers who were under;., no semblance of discipline or control; ' They simply wandered ahout the streets ' and did what they liked. tDrilling was a thing of the past, and every man appealed to bo his own commanding, officer: The state of this undisciplined ratable of a garrison gave an indication of the awful conditions existing throughout Russia. "The port of Vladivostok is closed," 1 continued (Mr. Carter," and trade is at a standstill. A foreigner cannot deposit money in the banks nor can !ha withdraw it, and, anyone arriving cannot leave under a period of ten days. These," lie continued, "are a few of the results of the first attempt of the pie of Russia to, rule themselves.*