The British and French mildly protested against the attitude of Japan towards Semianoff and Kalmakoff, but it was continued until the anarchy created threatened to frustrate every Allied effort.  Not until the Peace Conference had disclosed the situation did a change in policy take place.  From this time on the conduct of Japan (both civil and military) became absolutely correct.  President Wilson brought forward his famous, but impossible, proposal that the different Russian belligerents should agree to an armistice and hold a conference on the Turkish “Isle of Dogs.”  If patriotism is the maintenance of such rules of human conduct and national life as will justify one man in killing another, then no Russian patriot could meet in friendly conference those who had destroyed and murdered their own country and people.  Russia during the previous two years had shown that there could be no compromise between anarchy and order, or their several adherents.  This was, however, the policy of America, and as such received the blessing of every representative, Jew or Gentile, of the U.S.A. in Siberia.  Japan saw a kink in the American armour and took full advantage of the chance to damage U.S.A. prestige.  She rallied Russian patriotism to her side by advising that no notice be taken of this harebrained suggestion.  Japan’s advice received the secret blessing of both French and English who knew the situation, though in our case we had to admit that the British Premier had stood sponsor for this international monstrosity.  This gave Japanese diplomacy its first clear hold upon Russian patriotism and enabled her to appear as a true friend of orderly government.

American diplomacy in Russia had received its first great shock, but with careful handling it was still possible to recover the lost ground.  With the utter failure of the “Isle of Dogs” policy, Russian rage quickly subsided and a normal condition soon returned.  The Allies had received a salutary warning, and most of them took the hint, but America continued on her debatable course.  Having failed diplomatically to effect a compromise, she tried to force her views by military means.  The neutral zone system of her commanders was the natural outcome of President Wilson’s proposal.  The intention was excellent, that the results would be disastrous was never in doubt.  It forced the American command to adopt a sort of local recognition of the Red Army within the zone, and enabled the Japanese to appear as the sole friend of Russian order.  The Japanese were attacked by Red forces collected in these zones, with American soldiers standing as idle spectators of some of the most desperate affairs between Red and Allied troops.  Japan was entitled to reap the kudos such a situation brought to her side, while America could not expect to escape the severest censure.

Profiting by the blunders of her great antagonist, Japan managed in six months to recover all the ground she had lost while suffering under the illusion of a great Hun victory that was to give her the Lordship of the East.  From a blustering bandit she has become a humble helper of her poor, sick, Russian neighbour.  In which role she is most dangerous time will show.  The world as a rule has little faith in sudden conversions.