While all this was taking place Siberia, in China' public opinion had grown favourable to Sowet Bu China's failure at Versailles had opened the-way for anti-Allied" and particularly anti Vapanese propaganda. The Great Student Movement of 1919-20 had stirred the imaginations of the youth of the country as had no Other articulation of public opinion before or since, Thousands of students became gurians about the Russian revolution and" that curiosity - was whetted by Communist propaganda. It -was, into such an, atmosphere that Russia sent the famous note of 1919 offerfing:—1. The territory seized by the {foricer Imperial Russian Government to Government will restore to the sovereignty of China Eis "China Eaadern Belivay" and the former' Imperial Runsinn Government, Tot ask one cent. there: his" Governnont. will not accent he Boxer indemnity. payments.
'i. The spec es for "jects enablished by the former Toe ial Russian Government and China "All extraterritorial addition tothe tatters above, all agreements. made. by the way Company. If persons of any other nationality ignored thi provision of the Agreement it was their fault, If the Russo-Asiatic Bank adopted any nationality other than Russian or Chinese, it automatically ceased to be a shareholder'
the railway and Russian nationality could only Be determined by Soviet Russia, the de facto success sor to Tsarist Russia.
The Mysterious Five Millions Nevertheless, the agreenient between China and tht Bank was signed. The Bank agreed to pay to China interest Kungping Taels 5,000,000, which should have been' paid in accordance with the 1896 Agreement but which had not been paid. (There is much mystery about this money. It seems such a small amount to have held up that one doubts whether a statesman like Witte would have permitted this amount to come into default without sable reason, It would be interest ing to seo whatever documents there are on the subject.)
The Russo-Asiatic Bank was to appoint five Directors of the Company, China was to appoint four and a President, who was to have the casting vote, " The offices in the Company were to be fairly distributed. between Chinese and Scting independently or with Japan, o with the Bntente Poscers, with the ess of Chingy in which there are an-ave points, will be wil and void Russians, Chinese assistants being required for the Russian chiefs of departments. The Railway_was to
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.