Apparently Russia was making excellent progress. But. this valuable agreement was made with the Peking authorities, and the Chinese Bastorn Bos across Manchuria, where Chang Tso-Un, then as now at odds with Peking, recognized the authority of the Central Gover~ ment only when its orders squared. with his own desires. Chang's close association with the Japanese ig a matter of common knowledge. He had no intention of turning the yailrond over to the Russians against his own or the Japanese interest, and ignored the treaty and all the efforts of Russian and Poking delegates to secure its enforcement.
Russia soon had her chanco, however. In August of 1024 Okiang and Peking came to open warfare. For public purposes. the Soviet officials warned the foreign Powers not to make any attempt to take advantage of the disturbance in China as an excuse for further aggression. Parades were organiz~ Moscow, and the Russian demands for "Hands off China!" were widely advertised in the East. Though similar publicity was not given to the threatening presence of Red troops in Chang's rear, the Manchurian dictator was fully aware of them and realized their significance. He must either saerifiee the railway or risk complete overthrow. With an acumen which is neither Chinese nor subtle, he chose the le.ser evil; in September an agreement wan announced between Moscow and Chang Tso-lin, as the ruler of the "Autonomous Phroo Eastern Provinces," whereby the latter consented to the arrangoment already made by Peking for Joint control of the Chinove Exst.
Thus did Russia, to its immense economic and military advantage, recover its extensive contro? of the groat railway artery that connects its vext interior domain with the port, of Vilalivostok and holds the possibility. of connecting it_ with some port still farther to the South. Well might Ambasvador Karakhan Jay, as he did on October 5, "The restoration of the Soviet Union's title to the Chinese Eastern Railway opens up broad vistax for economic and political _eotlabor tion with China, At present the Soviet Union is' gaining a firm foothold in the Far East by occupying one of the most important posi tions of which its enemies were trying to deprive it."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.