Show I AMERICAN ATTITUDE ON JAP-IE JAP SIBERIAN JAP-SIBERIAN POLICY PUZZLE I Il l i Officially Reported That No Conclusion Has Been Reached I IBy r By Carl D. D Groat United Press Staff Correspondent WASHINGTON March 2 The The perplexing perplexing perplexing per per- problem of how America will decide upon Japanese Intervention in Siberia Iberia r remained tonight ht unsolved It was said officially no conclusion ha has been reached and that much of ot the tho ho speculation on the subject was far ahead of or actual progress In determinIng Ing Ing- ng what Is admittedly a L very elj delicate question That was all alJ the official explanation vouchsafed the tho high authorities renewed renewed re- re their hints that Jap Japan n probably ably will bo be o free freo to act minus allied r I lor or American participation Some government So leaders however feel that in such an event ent Japans Japan's sphere of ot action and her purposes should be made entirely clear lest the protection of ot Japanese Interest be twisted by hy Germany German into an ar argument argument u- u I ment that the thA move Is an autocratic invasion I DELAY CRITICISED I Military men favoring Intervention were critical of or delay sa saying thero should bo be no dilly dallying as In the case of or Greece Other military men said frankl frankly that n a Japanese Japan move would bo be open to Russian suspicion and to German misinterpretation as meaning that Japan wanted a foothold foothold foot Coot hol hold In Siberia Joint action was vms considered impractical in view of ot the paucity of ot troops and ships in the far east and particularly In view of or orthe the fact that guarding guarding- supplies at Vladivostok and the Siberian Siberian Siberian Sibe Sibe- rian railroad could be easily accomplished accomplished h by Japan alone The thought hl of Ll Liberals was that In Inthe Inthe the light of oC Americas America's position on freedom freedom freedom free free- dom for democracy the Japanese move mo might turn Russia definitely against ag the allies and into alliance with Ger Ger- many America wants want to propitiate the Russians as far as possible For this reason It Is deemed advisable nd b by bythe bythe the thc Liberals that in the event ent of or Jap- Jap nese entrance restrictions should hould be placed on the expedition and Its purpose purposes purposes pur pur- poses pose proclaimed officially as solely protective e and ami not offensive I LACK CONFIRMATION Reports that Japanese and Chinese troops were already alread en route to Manchuria Manchuria Man Man- churia and Siberia lacked state de department department department de- de confirmation though Japanese Japa nese authorities have said for several days that mobilization was under wa waIn way I In Korea The trend 1 of or events appeared to ob oberer observers observers ob- ob servers er to be such that Japan might be he forced b by her people to take the stop step st p. p In such circumstances America doubtless would not interpose o objections objections jec- jec though she he would still sUIl feel it advisable to have c the world know that thal the expedition was designed ned as a a. 1 friendly protective step rather than thanas as us a territorial grab rab Some officials pointed out Japans Japan's past op openly expressed desires for fishing fishing fishing fish fish- ing rights along the Siberian Littoral might be accepted by unfriendly sources as an attempt at fulfillment of ot these am ambitions And such suspicions suspicions suspicions should be removed it was held b by Liberals who have had much to do with the German Austro propaganda work Japan Tapan i is an auto auto- cracy She Is also an all ally of ours our linked In friendly relations by br the re recent recent re- re cent Lansing Lansing Lansing-Ishii pact and these r re relations 10 c- c I lations ought ht not to be clouded cloude by I doubts it was pointed out qUESTION NEED OF ACTION I Itan Many tan military men doubted the immediate immediate immediate im im- im- im mediate need for Cor intervention Others said it was a a. serious need to offset the dan danger er from Germans already resident resident res res- ill ident nt in Siberia or from an actual at attempt attempt attempt at- at tempt of the Germans to sweep across European Russia into Si Siberia Let the Japanese go ahead with allied approval now and guard against this tills menace the they said else It may develop Into an ever eyer greater problem later The American war department has not been beim n consulted to date late to the sub sub- This Is s taken as confirmation of high official hints that in any event American forces will not Join the Japanese because they are more badly needed in fn Europe I Japan could easily put Ut men in the field quickly enough to keep busy a far larger German force The state stale department was still without ad- ad vico from Ambassador Francis except delayed messages sent previous to his departure from Petrograd Notice was gh given en that Japanese Chinese an and American embassy staffs had bad de departed departed departed de- de parted for tor the East CONTROL BY GERMANY GERMAN Germany Is apparently destined to get set control of Petrograd before long long- but as one official expressed it Jt Petro Petrograd Petrograd Pet ro ad isn't all Russia by any means and ana its Us capture would mean nothing A look at the map will show you that Russia proper is only starting there Some military men doubt that Germany Germany Germany Ger Ger- many will attempt to extend her lines beyond tho the capital meaning as It would that she would have bave long communication communication communication com com- I lines needing heavy pro pro- While the Russo-Japanese Russo problem remains a vital topic here the political political political cal offensive to swerve Austria from her alliance Is not being en entirely en- en overlooked President Wilson on now how plans to wait walt upon Count cz Czernin's Czern- Czern rn- rn I ins in's answer to the last peace terms statement be before ore appearing again in congress Ho is now disposed to ig ignore ignore ig- ig nore rio nore e for tor the time the Hertling answer an an- ig-I ig |