WAR ON JAPAN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 155, 4 July 1938, Page 9

WAR ON JAPAN.

SOVIET PREPARING?

Alleged Story of Fugitive

Official

"TRAITOR TO STALIN."

United Tress Association.—Copyright.

(Received 10 a.m.) TOKYO, .Tulv 3

"I was a traitor to Stalin, but never to the Fatherland," said M. Lushkoff, Chief of the Far Political Department of She Soviet, who is stated by the Japanese to have fled to Manchukuo to escape a purge, in an alleged signed statement to the Domei news agency.

Lushkoff scented personal danger in May when Marshal Blucher, Commander-in-Chief of the Far Eastern Red Army, after a visit to Moscow, reprimanded him. Then his secretary was recalled to Moscow.

He derided to escape the execution squad and pent his wife to Moscow so that she could go to Poland, while lie would contrive to reach Manchukuo.. After his wife's departure he left Haharovsk ostensibly on a tour of inspection of the " Soviet-Manchukuo frontier. Receiving a telegram from his wife indicating that she was safe in Poland, l.ushkoflf ordered a rearrangement of the frontier guards and, taking advantage of the confusion resulting from this, crossed the border in a dense fog on June l:i.

He surrendered to the Japanese and is now in Tokvo under detention, but is treated well.

He declared that Stalin was prepar in« for a war against Japan, and had concentrated 400.000 men and 2000 aeroplanes east of Lake Baikal, as well as 00 submarines at Vladivostock.

Stalin was assisting China to engage Japan in a war of exhaustion, after which Russia would attack Japan, said M. Lushkoff. He admitted collaborating in Stalin's terrorism, which resulted in the massacre of thousands, but said he had repented.

M. Lushkoff alleged Stalin had fabricated the intrigues which were featured in the recent trials in order to "liquidate" his rivals and other undesirables. He accused Stalijt of having them shockingly tortured until they deposed according to requirements. He said dissatisfaction with Stalin's activities was widespread.