The Editors and Board of Trustees of the Russian Review

Russians in Manchuria
Author(s): George C. Guins
Source: Russian Review, Vol. 2, No. 2 (Spring, 1943), pp. 81-87
Published by: Wiley on behalf of The Editors and Board of Trustees of the Russian Review
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 Russians in Manchuria
BY GEORGEC. GUINS

ODAY,of all the Manchuriancities, Harbin is the only one still

preserving its Russianappearance.This may be explained by
the fact that one-half of the entireRussianpopulationof Man-
churia (54,000, accordingto the 1940 census) lives in Harbin.
Manchurianever belonged to Russia,.but it is so situated that
Russian intereststhere, political as well as economic,are of the ut-
most importance.Russia needs a free outlet to the ocean, and the
road across Manchuriato Vladivostok is the shortest one to the
Pacific ports. This fact forced the former Russian government to
seek from China a concessionfor the building of a railroadacross
Manchuria.
Another reason for Russia'sinterest in this territoryis based on
the fact that northernManchuriais the hinterlandfor Vladivostok
and the Maritime province. The latter is a long, narrow tract of
land adjoiningthe lower Amur, and if the vast territoryof northern
Manchuria,which is to the west of this province, should, with its
well-developed system of railroads,becomethicklypopulatedby the
Chineseor Japanese,this would becomea sourceof constantdanger
to the Maritimeprovince.Thus, the problemof Manchuriabecomes
for Russia not only an economicproblem of transportation,but of
political safety as well.
When the Russianscompleted,aboutforty yearsago, the building
of the railroadjoining EuropeanRussiaand Siberiawith Vladivostok
and the port of Dalny (now Dairen), Manchuriawas still a wild
and thinly populatedregion.The constructionof the railroadcaused,
as is usually the case,rapidgrowth in populationand great economic
development. The truly American tempo of this progress is ex-
plained also by certainaccompanyingfavorablecircumstances. Three
times during the first quarterof this century a golden rain, so to
speak, fell upon Manchuria.
The first of these was the prosperitycausedby the construction
of the Chinese Eastern Railway. The builders did not spare the
government'smoney, and many contractorsmade their fortunes,and
remainedin Manchuria,continuingtheir enterprisesas lumbermen,
miners, and builders. In 1904-1905, during the Russo-Japanese
War, gold again rained upon Manchuria.This time, other supply
81

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82 The Russian Review

contractorsand merchants enriched themselves. A considerable

amountof money was left in the pocketsof the city inhabitants,and
the newly establishedtowns and cities grew and quickly accumu-
lated riches.Sincethe end of the Russo-JapaneseWar, only northern
Manchuriahas remainedin the sphere of Russianinfluence,and I
shall hereafterrefer only to this northernarea.
During the first World War materialswere transportedacross
Manchuriainto Russiaand the city of Harbin, convenientlysituated
at the intersectionsof railroadsand a navigableriver (Sungari), be-
came a center of supply and distribution.The city grew and de-
veloped quickly, and the RussianRevolution and the Civil War in
Siberiadid not stop this development.In Harbin were centralized
various military organizations.There lived the representativesof
different foreign countries,busy with the intervention in Siberia,
and there the massesof refugees from Russiatook shelter. Some of
these refugees brought with them considerableamountsof money,
and many broughtvaluable professionalknowledge and experience.
Many intellectualscameinto Harbinand settled there. !Russianrefu-
gees, however, were settling not only in Harbin, but also around
importantrailroadstations,which gradually grew into small towns.
The Chinese government put at the disposal of the Chinese
Eastern Railway not only the narrowtract of land for building the
track itself, but also many lots for importantrailroad settlements.
In this way cities of the Russiantypes came into existence,Harbin
amongthem. Here were built railroadestablishments,stationhouses,
warehouses,barracksfor troops guarding the railroad, homes and
clubs for the employees, churches,and schools. Here, lots were as-
signed for both the Russianand Chinesebanks,stores, and markets.
As soon as these railroadsettlementsbecamepopulatedthey took
on the appearanceof small Russian towns, and Harbin of a big
Russiancity. It preservesthis appearanceeven at the present time.
The Russianinhabitantsstudied the Chineselanguage, while the
ChinesestudiedRussian.Russianself-government,which was estab-
lished in Harbin, was shared by the representativesof other na-
tionalities. However, the Russiansoutnumberedall of them; they
were at the head of the city administration,and business affairs
were conductedin the Russian language.
Such was the state of affairsin 1920, when the White movement
failed, and all power in Russiafell completelyinto the handsof the
Soviet government. Since then, the history of Manchuriahas been
full of uncertainties,and the positionof the Russiansin Manchuria
has radicallychangedthree times, along with changesin the admin-

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 Russiansin Manchuria 83
istrationand status of the Chinese Eastern Railway. The first of
these changestook place after the fall of the White movement; the
second,after China'srecognitionof the U.S.S.R., and the appearance
on the Chinese Eastern Railway of Soviet administration;and the
third after the establishmentof Japanesecontroland administration
over the whole of Manchuria.In this article I shall review only
the last of these three periods-that of Manchuriaunder Japanese
control.
In September, 1931, the so-called "Manchurianincident" took
place, and the JapaneseKwantungarmy occupiedall northernand
SouthernManchuria.If, in 1929, during the Sino-Russianconflict,
Japan had remained neutral, this time it was to be the U.S.S.R.
which was to remain neutral.
On February 18, 1932, the formationof the new state of Man-
chukuowas proclaimed.This new state was to remainunder Japan's
protectorate.In this way Japanesecontrol was spread evenly over
the sphere of Russianinfluence.The third period for the Russians
in Manchuriahad begun-the period of the destructionof Russian
influenceand the forcingof Russiansout of Manchuria.
For a period of three years, 1932-1935, some of the Russians
sill remained on the Chinese Eastern Railway, but cooperation with
the Japanesewas a harder task than cooperationwith the Chinese
had been. Both sides, however, avoided open conflict,and finally
reachedsome agreement.In March of 1935 the deed of sale of the
Railway was signed in Tokyo. Soon thereafter,nearly all the em-
ployees of the Railway having Soviet passportssold their possessions
in Manchuriaand left for Russia.The Russianpopulationin Man-
churia diminished noticeably,as the Russians continued to either
return to Russia, to move to the south, or to emigrateabroad.The
Japanesepopulation,on the other hand, quicklyincreasedin num-
ber. The Russian populationin Manchuriareached about 100,000
in 1930, but the census of 1940 showed that at that time only
54,000 still remainedin Manchuria.Statisticsshow that the number
of marriages and births also decreased. Thus, even the natural
growth of the Russianpopulationwas on the wane.
Russian influencein Manchuriadisappearedeven more quickly
than did the Russianpopulation.Russianschoolsand colleges were
closed.The RussianPolytechnicalInstitutewas replacedby a Japan-
ese Institute. For a while, a Manchurianuniveristyexisted for Rus-
sians, with departmentsof commerceand a polytechnicaldivision,
but the system of instructionand the program were both so poor
that the graduateswere preparedonly for the most simple and rou-

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84 'The Russian Review

tine technicalwork, or for positionsas interpretorsand clerks.

All Russianestablishmentsand enterprisesbegan to shrink as an
inevitable result of the economicpolicy of Manchukuo.The intro-
ductionof monopoliesmade privatebusinessimpossible.Metallurgic
and lumber industries and the export businesswere placed under
administrativecontrol. High taxes and enforced loans destroyed
capital. Foreign bankswere closed, and Japanesebanksgave credit
only with officialsanction.Low ceiling priceson rent took the profits
from the homeowners. Briefly, the rich people lost their profits
and are gradually losing even their capital.
The closing of many Russianand foreign enterpriseshas inten-
sified the problem of unemployment. The Russian population,
having lost the possibilitynot only to save but even to earn money,
is now being obliged to spend its last savings and is gradually be-
coming poorer and poorer.
The Japanesesupportthose of the intelligentsiawho are loyal to
them. They have given jobs, though poorly paid at that, to this
group. In this way, the Japaneseauthoritiesare giving the meansof
existenceto many former military officers,administrators,teachers,
and writers.They are also giving help to several Russiancharitable
organizations,but always the impoverishmentof the Russians in-
creases.
More and more persons have become dependent upon the Jap-
anese administration.There is one way and one way only: to accept
a job from the hands of the Japanese. This is especially true in
regardto the youth, which is preparedfor this by the speciallycon-
trolled educationalsystem. But in order to receive employmentit is
not enough to be loyal to the Japanese; it is also necessaryto pre-
serve an anti-Sovietattitude.Although the Japanesegovernmentis
officiallysupposedto be friendlywith the U.S.S.R., open propaganda
is being carriedon againstcommunism,the Comintern,and against
the whole Soviet regime. The Russian population gets only very
one-sidedinformationabouteventsgoing on in Russia; in print, only
criticismof communismand Soviet Russiais allowed.
The guidance as well as the surveillanceof all Russiansis en-
trusted to the hands of a Bureau, which handles the affairsof the
Russian emigrantsliving in the ManchurianEmpire. This Bureau
is located in Harbin, and is an establishmentof large proportions.
At its head is a general, and under him are several chiefs of depart-
ments. There are also local departments,whichare locatedwherever
there are more or less numerousgroups of Russianemigrants.The
Bureauis in charge of registeringthe emigrants,and those who are

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 Russians in Manchuria 85

unregistered are considered disloyal and are deprived of certain

privileges, such as receiving the foodstuffs which are occasionally
distributedon the recommendationof the Bureau. Those who are
unregistered are also prevented from obtaining visas for going
abroad.
The registeredemigrantspay a certainmonthly sum out of their
net earnings.These monthly paymentsplace at the disposal of the
Bureau a considerableamount of money, so much in fact that the
Bureauhas free capital,is able to publisha newspaper,The Voiceof
the Emigrant, a weekly illustratedmagazine,and books.
No play may be performed,no dance,lecture, or collection may
take place without the permissionof the Bureau. It also supervises
education.
It is to be understood,of course,that the Bureauwatchesclosely
the political tendencies of the emigrants, supplying information
abouttheir behaviorto the administration.The Chief of the Bureau
is also President of the Far Eastern Union of Military Men, the
membership of which is composed of former Russian officers
(though there are many who did not join the union).
If the need should arise, the Bureau would be able to create a
military organizationquickly. Ataman Semenov, who is allowed to
live near Dairen, has no officialposition,but his special representa-
tive occupiesthe post of adviserto the Bureau.A specialdepartment
of the Bureauis in charge of hiring Russianemigrantsfor railroad
service. Quite a few are so employed, among them several out-
standingengineers.At the present time, all Russiansare appointed
to the same sector,which has thus becomewholly Russian.Some ac-
cept this fact as an expressionof confidence;others, mistrustingthe
Japanese,believe they are preparinga group of specialiststo have
on hand in case of Japanese occupationof Russian territory. Of
course,the Bureauitself and all its employees may be used for this
purpose in case of an emergency, as an organized administrative
organ for the occupiedterritory.
The Bureau in Manchuriais a much more decent organization
than similar organizationsin Peking and in Tientsin. Often it gives
real aid to Russianemigrants.But it must be understood,of course,
that the Bureaumay in no way be called an independentorganiza-
tion. It is wholly subordinatedto the JapaneseMilitary Mission in
Harbin, which takes the place of a Military Governor General in
northernManchuria.The Presidentof the Bureauand his assistants,
the departmentmanagers,go to the JapaneseMilitary Mission with
daily reports. Prominent Russians whose opinions and actions in-

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86 The Russian Review

terest the Mission are also summonedthere for questioning.

The fact that such a Bureau exists in Manchuriais interesting
even if we forget our surmisesabout the future plans of Japan. It
proves the existenceand officialpreservationof Russianemigrantsin
Manchuria.But recently a certain disagreementoccurredbetween
the civil authoritiesof Manchukuoand the Military Mission. The
governmentwanted all Russianemigrantsto becomeautomatically
Manchuriansubjectsand so to occupyin the state the position of a
nationalminority. But the military departmentconsideredas more
useful the policy of preservingthe Russianemigrantsas such. One
prominent Japanese officialexpressedthe following opinion about
the Russians:"Neither the Red nor White Russianslike us. It is up
to us to decide, accordingto politicalexpediency,with which side to
cooperate."
But what are the political views of the Russian emigrants in
Manchuria?With few exceptionsthe tendency of the emigrantsis
sharply anti-communisticbut at the same time patriotic. During
the periodof faminein Russiain 1922, Harbincollectedconsiderable
sums for the relief of the victims in the U.S.S.R. and sent special
relief trainsinto Russia.At the presenttime, of course,Harbin does
nothing for Russianrelief and gives no help to war-tornRussia.To
do so would be impossibleas long as the Russian emigrantsexist
under the aegis of Japan,the ally of Russia'senemy. Otherwise,no
doubt,the Russianpopulationof Manchuria,notwithstandingits own
impoverishment,would give all possiblehelp to its brothers.
Several circumstancesmust be taken into considerationin order
to understandclearly the politicalviews of the Russianemigrantsin
Manchuria.First of all, it must be rememberedthat many Russians
have been living there since the constructionof the railroad.Many
were born there, though they are nevertheless called emigrants.
These Russiansfeel very painfully each curtailmentof their rights,
not to mention the dismissalof Russiansfrom the leading institu-
tions, and the completeabolitionof Russianparticipationin the man-
agement of the region. Secondly, the proximity of the Russian
bordernaturallyincreasesthe tendencyto returnto the native land.
This is why Manchuriagave so many "homecomers,"and why the
movement of "reconciliation"was such a success.Finally, the Rus-
sians in Manchukuo live in an environment of strange culture,
strange customsand a strange, difficultlanguage. All in all, their
complete assimilationin Manchukuowould seem to be highly im-
probable.
Russianemigrantsin Man-
As a result of all these circumstances,

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 Russians in Manchuria 87
churia feel their estrangementfrom the motherland as painfully
as, perhaps,nowhere else in the world. The Russianslive at the
very borderof their native countrybut know that they cannotreturn
there becauseof the presentregime, which they believe to be peril-
ous to their native country. Some of them are ready to reconcile
themselveswith this regime, and either returnto Russiaor, barring
that, to cooperate,on businessgrounds, with representativesof the
Soviet administration.The supportersof this idea are mostly busi-
ness men, not very stable in their principles.The other groups are
still ready to oppose communism,and at the present time they still
believe that this can be done with the help of Japanesearms. To
this last categorybelong the Fascists.
We must mention one more trend of thought existing in present
day Manchuria.This trend is representedby those who do not
acceptthe Soviet regime or communism,but who strive to combat
them not by forcebut with ideas.Following this principle,the theory
of "Solidarity"was formulated in Harbin.1
More space in this article cannotbe given to the descriptionof
this last theory, but it is clear how tragicthe outbreakof war in the
Far East would be for the great majorityof Russiansin Manchuria.
On the other hand, the final expulsionof the Russiansfrom Man-
churiawould be a great injustice,and a loss for Russia.
At one time a rumor was circulatedin Harbin to the effect that
Harbin would be proclaimed an internationalcity and that the
Japanesewould acceptthis as a measureof compromisein order to
reconcilethe foreign powersto the existenceof Manchukuo.Control
of the city and the railroadwould supposedlybe given to an in-
ternationalcommittee.The rumorwas met with enthusiasm.How-
ever, it had no basisin fact. But if, at some future time, such a plan
should be effected, it would, in all probability,prove to be the
best solution for a region where Chinaholds the sovereignty,where
Japan has invested colossalamountsof capitaland has a population
of 400,000, and where Russia has laid the foundationof economic
and cultural development and is still interested in having transit
passageand in assuringthe safety of her border.
1G. C. Guins, On the Road to the State of the Future: From Liberalism to Sol-
idarity. Harbin, 1930.
G. C. Guins and L. G. Zickman, The Entrepreneur. Harbin, 1940. See espe-
cially the article, "An Outline of Solidarity" by G. C. Guins.

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