MANCHURIAN DISPUTE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 47, 5 December 1929, Page 6

MANCHURIAN DISPUTE

SETTLEMENT EFFORTS. SOVIET REPLY TO APPEAL. INTERFERENCE NOT DESIRED. (United Press Association—Copyright.) MOSCOW, December 4. The Soviet replv to the United States Note was handed to M. Harbette, the French Ambassador, by M. .WW (Commissar for Foreign Affairs). it points out that the United States had applied to the Soviet when the latter was directly negotiating 7 with Mukden, Such action was not a justifiable pressure on these negotiations, hence it could not be regarded as a friendly act. The Russo-Chinese dispute must be settled bv direct negotiations, With which interference was not permissible. The Soviet was amazed that the United States, which by its own desire had no official relations with Russia, should offer advice and counsel.

"A POLICY OF PEACE."

INDEPENDENT COURSE INTENDED.

LONDON, December 4. The reply of the Soviet claims that the Soviet never resorted to military action for defente, but pursued a policy of peace from* the first dayi of its existence, and it intends to continue independently of the Paris Act. The Nankin Government, during recent years, had carried on a provocative policy, culminating ini the seizure of the Eastern Russian Railway. The Soviet believes that similar action toward the United States, Great Britain, or France would be a sufficient cause tor their operating the reservations made when signing the pact renouncing war The Soviet then that it did not recognise those reservations and did not intend to use them.

. SURPRISE IN UNITED STATES. ATTITUDE OF MINOR POWERS. (Received This Day, 9.15 a.m.) WASHINGTON, December 4. Considerable surprise is expressed by the State Department at Moscow s replv to the Note by the Secretary of State (Mr H. L. Samson) regarding the relations between Russia and China. TheNanswers from the other signatories to the Kellogg Pact to Mr Stimson's request that they co-operate, have complicated rather than clarified the situation. A summarv of latest responses is as follows: Mexico agreed to address the Nankini and Moscow Governments along lines similar to the American communication; Holland undertook to communicate with China but not the Soviet, with which she has no diplomatic relations; Cuba promised to cooperate. . It is now considered that Mr Stimson is likely to reply to Moscow later. NO UNFRIENDLY MOTIVES. (Received This Day, 11.40 a.m.) WASHINGTON, December 4. Taking notice of the Russian memorandum to the United States, as reported in the Press, the Secretary of State (Mr H. L. Stimson) said to-day that the message the American Government sent to China and Russia was not from unfriendlv motives but because this Government regards the Pact of Paris as a covenant which has . profoundly modified the attitude of the world toward peace.