WORLD NEWS IN STORY AND PICTURE

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 189, 12 August 1939, Page 3 (Supplement)

WORLD NEWS IN STORY AND PICTURE

RUSSIA AND CHINA. One of the most perplexing questions in the Sino.Japanese dispute is the ultimate attitu<le of Soviet Russia. Will she enter actively into the war or will she limit her participation to the supply of war necessities? It is impossible at the moment to venture a definite opinion, lint I think I may safely suggest that if China is faced with defeat Russia in her own defence will have to come to her aid againwt Japan. On the other hand, if the Chinc-c can prolong the campaign for a loiter time, even if it is a losing war for China, Japanese resources of monev and man power will become so exhausted that Russia would have nothing to fear and, therefore, need not risk open warfare. With the situation in Euro|»e so uncertain Russia could not risk drawing troops away. Therefore, the most likely game for the Russians to adopt, for the moment at any rate, will he to see that the Chinese receive all the arms and ammunition with which she

By ARPAD SZIGETVARY.

can supply them. As well as that, she can (already in, in fact), supply China with Russian-trained man power. The Chinese Soviet Army is, of course, Russian trained, but as well troops and aeroplanes from the Soviet Republic of Outer Mongolia are aiding the Chinese. Ru.-*ia can see to it that the supply of l!ed .Mongolian lighting men is kept up without herself iH'ing an actual participant in the ivnr. She can also see lo reinforcements of soldiers from Chinese Turkestan (Sinkiang), which is now practically a Soviet republic. Ry the ordinary methods of transport through nominally Chinese territory, that is Sinkiang and Tibet, it would take these troops weeks to reach the China war zone, but by train through Russian Turkestan and thence on through Siberia and Outer Mongolia it would only be the matter of days. These men, mainly Mos-

World Events Explained.

li'ins, are excellent material and would therefore he of material a.-*ds!a nee to the' Chinese. "\olunteers" have become a lialiit in tlicr-c <lavs of undeclared wars and no doubt Kiistsia could ensure large numbeir; of these to fight in Russia's <'aur-e. lieing able to (lo all this Russia need not risk active intervention in her own name; indeed, at the moment, she would be foolish to do ■so. China, has no need of 'actual rank-aiid lile manpower -- she has immense reserve*. Therefore. a« long a* she lias foreign < rained leaders and supplies she can wage a prolonged war with Ict-s <'\liaustion than Japan. DEVELOPMENTS IN MONGOLIA. -Although I'rince 'J'eli hat* been appointed head of the new "puppet" State of inner Mongolia, that doee not mean to say he is a pawn in Japanese hands. The very reverse may turn out to be the case.

The aim of Prince Tell, one of th« most astute of Mongols, is the rebuilding of the owe great Mogul Empire. To guin his end lie has flirted with China, Russia and Japan, gometimes separately, sometimes simultaneously, China and Russia conducted tiieir negotiations through diplomacy, but Japan with force. Some years ago Japanese troops over-ran Inner Mongolia and established General Li aa lieud of a semi-independent State in the southern part of the country. In this manner they cut off Prince Teh from Chinese support and placed him in a position where any false move on his part s|>elt disaster. Although J'rince Teh desires independence for Mongolia, he is pro-Chinese and dreams of a united strong Mongolia und strong China working in clos# alliance for their common good. In accepting the position of head of the new Japanese "puppet" State, Prince Teh is no doubt consolidating his already strong grip on the Mongolians and in quietly awaiting an opportune moment to strike against the Japanese.