a war had
broken out, the news of which, in spite of the attempts of the Chinese
authorities at secrecy, had filtered through and had testified to
the seriousness of the situation in this part of Outer Mongolia.
Consequently we had no choice but to remain in Uliassutai. Here also
were living several Polish soldiers who had escaped from the prison
camps in Russia, two Polish families and two American firms, all in
the same plight as ourselves. We joined together and made our own
intelligence department, very carefully watching the evolution of
events. We succeeded in forming good connections with the Chinese
commissioner and with the Mongolian Sait, which greatly helped us in our
orientation.

What was behind all these events in Mongolia? The very clever Mongol
Sait of Uliassutai gave me the following explanation.

"According to the agreements between Mongolia, China and Russia of
October 21, 1912, of October 23, 1913, and of June 7, 1915, Outer
Mongolia was accorded independence and the Moral Head of our 'Yellow
Faith,' His Holiness the Living Buddha, became the Suzerain of the
Mongolian people of Khalkha or Outer Mongolia with the title of 'Bogdo
Djebtsung Damba Hutuktu Khan.' While Russia was still strong and
carefully watched her policy in Asia, the Government of Peking kept the
treaty; but, when, at the beginning of the war with Germany, Russia was
compelled to withdraw her troops from Siberia, Peking began to claim the
return of its lost rights in Mongolia. It was because of this that the
first two treaties of 1912 and 1913 were supplemented by the convention
of 1915. However, in 1916, when all the forces of Russia were
pre-occupied in the unsuccessful war and afterwards when the first
Russian revolution broke out in February, 1917, overthrowing the
Romanoff Dynasty, the Chinese Government openly retook Mongolia. They
changed all the Mongolian ministers and Saits, replacing them with
individuals friendly to China; arrested many Mongolian autonomists and
sent them to prison in Peking; set up their administration in Urga and
other Mongol towns; actually removed His Holiness Bogdo Khan from the
affairs of administration; made him only a machine for signing Chinese
decrees; and at last introduced into Mongolia their troops. From that
moment there developed an energetic flow of Chinese merchants and
coolies into Mongolia. The Chinese began to demand the payment of taxes
and dues from 1912. The Mongolian population wer