Feb. 19.
WE have endeavoured during the past few days to throw some light on an acute problem in our midst, that of' the Russians. With the larger proportion of! their number, those who are} carrying on ordinary business! quietly and conscientiously, we have no concern. But a certain element is acting in a manner likely to cause considerable apprehension. Who they are exactly and why they are here are questions to which no satisfactory answer is forthcoming, nor, from the nature of their actions, is any likely to be provided. The people in question number certainly not more than 200; at the moment they are rent with dissension between moderates and extremists, but the more success that attends the upturn in Siberia, the greater is the inclination apparently, for the moderates to throw in their lot with the extremists. The latter want control of the Consulate and of the Ruisso-Asiatic Bank, the Bank on the ground that it is a State institution, although what claim they have to represent any organized government with any authority to. take such action, needs elucidation. They may call themselves whatever they will in politics, but such claims as they have' put forward bear an unpleasint resemblance to Bolshevism.
It is important to make a clear distinction between this unsettling element and the Russians engaged in business, and probably a certain number of the refugees in our midst. As regard: the refugees the Relief Committee believe that the number they are feeding are principally fugisequently the natural assumption is that the men at the back of this Bolshevik movement (or: whatever it is) were original men who fled from the Koltcha regime. If this be so, the most natural thing for them would be! to return to Siberia where progress is now being made towards a realization of their ideal of government. But in certain circles} locally the view is taken that they cannot—all of them—be classed as fugitives from anything, and} the thoroughly disquieting opin-lion is heard that they have come here with one definite object, the; {propagation of Bolshevism. That they show no desire to leave sup-\ports this contention, As we have already pointed out the supporters of the new movement are for the moment sharply divided between extremists and moderates, and it might naturally be concluded that the extremists are the real disciples of Bolshevism. They are for pushing immediately their claims on the Consulate and Bank, and here it is that - they split with the; moderates. The latter appreciate! the shock which these actions would give to a community like Shanghai, and that any sympathy there might be would be turned into hostility. Accordingly they urge preparation of the soil, a preliminary education of opinion through the Press, and the Chinese Press in particular. Once this was accomplished, it seems tolerably safe to say that they would be heart and soul with the extremists. These views may be wrong, but it is already evident that the opinions of men once known to be moderates are being excited towards the danger point.
Locally we have little to fear; from the extremists. They would!
time if they tried any nonsense! have a- thoroughly unpleasant here. The moderates, however, form a more dangerous section, things written and printed heir language is strong. No attempt is made to conceal their designs, and thus we know definitely that schemes which would be disturbing to the life of the community are in their thoughts he possibility exists that they may find it the better policy not to proceed with them, that {Shanghai may be of more use in another direction, as, for instance, a distributing centre for their agents throughout the world. For Shanghai either position would be intolerable. People ask why the whole crowd, both refugees requiring assistance and plotters, cannot be deported. It would, however, be manifestly unfair to do so, for Siberia is not sufficiently settled to make it safe for supporters of the late Admiral Koltchak to return, And as for the others, their repudiation of their official representatives in the country at once raises a difficult point as to what authority must act. We are in a most unfortunate position with respect to the whole question, nor shall we be able to face it with complete confidence until the powers in the capital can decide upon definite action.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.