File No. 861.00/1670
The Minister in China (Reinsch) to the Secretary of State
[Received 7.45 p.m.]
Referring my cable of April 25, 5 p.m. It appears that Ustrugov is to have charge of technical management railway while Horvat will handle political matters.
[Page 141]Moser reports a protest of Harbin newspapers against breaches of law, infringements of personal rights committed by Semenov military units in Harbin. Moser states: “It is a case undeniable that the methods of this guerrilla leader have aroused strong opposition among the Russian people.”
From available information it appears that the principal demands made by the Japanese in return for military support are free and exclusive mining rights in eastern Siberia and free Japanese navigation Amur River. It is not known whether the Harbin group have accepted these demands in full, though such acceptance is probable in the last resort. In return the Japanese give assurances to advance only as far as Irkutsk but so far as disclosed the Japanese plans exhibit little advantage to the Allies and offer prospect of Japan’s creating for herself an exclusive position in eastern Siberia.