Ataman Simionov's Reading of Recent Events: Why Russian Troops Participated Ataman Simionov, who is at present residing in Port Arthur, has been interviewed with reference to the participation of Russian troops, those reported to be under the demand of Baron Un-gem, in the capture of Urga and other events in Mongolia. In dealing with this question he points out that he has long been acquainted with Mbngolian aspirations, which contemplate independence or at least a wide national autonomy. Taking advantage of Russia's helplessness China two years ago resolved to conquer Mongolia, notwithstanding that she herself, torn by the ambitions of military chiefs operating under an impotent government, was in a state of civil war. China's policy during the past two years had been a series of national and religious insults to Mongolia, which had ultimately provoked an_ insurrection. The events of last November, including the imprisonment of the Buddha, assault and plunder by the Chinese soldiery at Urga and the like, turned the insurrection into a religious war.
The participation of the Russian soldiery in these events was purely accidental, the result of natural causes. One had to consider the ways by which these Russian detachments reached Mongolia. It had to be remembered that a merciless death awaited any one of them returning to Russia during the reign of Bolshevism. Moreover what kind of guarantee in the event of disarmament could the Chinese Government offer? A year ago Ataman Kalmikoff's detachment was "interned" in Manchuria, but was afterwards delivered' over to the Bolsheviks, this by a government which is conducting negotiations with M. Yourin, and which ordered the imprisonment of Russian residents in Urga under awful conditions. After the events of last November Russian refugees in Mongolia had no alternative but cooperation with the Mongols.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.