Lecture by Mr. G, E. Sokolsky Before American Women 'At the American Women's Club, 115 Bubbling Well Road, on November 12, the second meeting of the season' of the Literary Department was held when a farther lecture la the series on "China's Neighbours and 'Their Contributions to her Civilization" was given. The speak er, Mr, G. E. Sokolsky, dealt with Turkestan, the first country to be discussed inthe programme. 'The Jecture was a great success and' was thoroughly appreciated by the dience of members, In opening his speech, Mr. Sokolsky, explained the geographic al complications of Turkestan, land in which the Chinese part was almost desert, and the Russian rich. The reasons for this poverty and richness, which had not always been were also explained by the speaker very interestingly. At one time Chinese Turkestan was un= cloutedly rich and prosperous but it had sunk to poverty, the declire probably being due to the breakdown of the powerful Mongol Empire.
At the present time, Mr. Sokolsky explained, the peoples of Chinese Turkestan tended to turn. towards Russia as their own land, known as Sinkiang to-day, is so cut off frum ina. The Russians meanwhile have been developing Russian Turestan, have recognized it as a republic of the Soviet Union with autonomous rights and have spear much in introducing industries and edveation into the country.
The Russians, Mr. Sokolsky said, had an impulse to add land to thir territory which is found in no other nation, The British. gained land through their desire to. trade, but Russia conquered for the love of adding to her extensive possessions and has at one time or another tried to influence nearly all her border countries and bring them under her control.
He explained, too, the Russian reasons for spreading into Sinkiang rather than into Manchuria. In the latter ease the Japanese were immediately interested but in Sinkiang there was no interference. He ex: plained also how it came that the trouble between China and Russia which has been brewing so. long would be bound to involve the inter-esta of Great" Britain. and that ation's fear that" Russia vould push through Tibet and into india.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.