There are still many Russians who cannot believe that Japanese troops are actually to-be withdrawn from the Priamur, seeing that they have been there for the last four years and that the actual state of affairs has not undergone any change during the last two. The Japanese Government, knowing full well that this continued intervention is blocking entirely Japanese commercial expansion in eastern Siberia and at the same time costing the Government large sums of money forsupkeep which it can ill afford, has now decided to withdraw therefrom, notwithstanding the opposition on the part of the Military Party. With the total stagnation of all legitimate trade and the huge expense that the occupation is costing, the Japanese Government has finally resolved upon the evacuation of its troops. There is little doubt that, when this becomes an accomplished fact, the Merkuloff Government will flit away as a matter of fact, the leaders have already made their arrangements to do so—and_ the Priamur will become an integral part of the Far Eastern Republic. Even with this radical change in the state of affairs it is hardly. likely that any marked improvement in trade generally is likely to take place for some time to come.
Destruction takes no time to accomplish, but reconstruction is a slow and gradual process, especially when a Government is handicapped by the lack of funds, as is the case with the F. E. R. Though there are many faults to be found with the Chita Government, it is the only one that has shown itself capable of accomplishing something and which seems to be trying to restore the country. far, it has had no real chance to show the extent of its capacities, seeing its activities have practically been confined to Zaibaikalia. Also it remains to be seen what. the pernicious influence of Moscow will do. a
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.