SOVIET’S AGGRESSION

Greymouth Evening Star, 28 November 1929, Page 7

SOVIET’S AGGRESSION

CHINA’S APPEAL TO LEAGUE

BRITAIN URGED TO ACT

(British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, November 27. In the Commons, ' the Foreign Secretary (Mr Henderson) was asked whether seeing that certain hostile acts had been committed by the Union of Soviet Republics against the Republic of China, both parties having signed the Kellogg Pact, he would consider bringing this breach of the Pact before other governments that had attached their signatures to the Pact, with a view to bringing about a peaceful settlement. Mr Henderson replied that the Kellogg Pact provided no machinery for dealing with any case of infraction, or apparent infraction, of its terms, but merely stated in the preamble that any signatory, which might thereafter seem to promote its national interests by resort to war, would be denied the benefits furnished by that treaty. He understood that the Chinese Government might appeal to the League of Nations. The Covenant of the League provided machinery for dealing with such appeal, and he thought it would be best to await developments in this direction in the first place. Sir Austen Chamberlain, the former Foreign Secretary, asked whether any communication had passed between the United States Government, and whether any suggestion was made by the United States Government for common representations to Russia against the breach of the Kellogg Pact. Mr Henderson replied that m the early days of this matter, communi cations did pass and he informed the House at the time that we were prepared to participate in any joint action calculated to bring this dispute to a peaceful termination. He thought that since then, no further communication had been received but that communication had come from another Government, and if joint action could be taken we were prepared to participate. . - j Sir Austen Chamberlain a. ske , d would Mr Henderson consider if it would not be proper for the Government to initiate fresh negotiations with the United States Government on the subject. ' Mr Henderson: I can only say that the matter was under consideration this very mdrning. As I have intimated we are prepared to take part in joint action. I will consider the suggestion whether we ought, to initiate that action.” A Member asked if it were not possible to adopt other machinery than the League of Nations. Mr Henderson replied : The action I was contemplating was not action in association with the League of Nations in the first instance, but joint action by signatories of the Kellogg Pact, who include both Russia, and the United States.”

RUSSIAN CRUELTIES.

(Received November 28, Noon). SHANGHAI, November 27. The cruelty of Soviet soldiers is unprecedented in the history of the world,'declared a telegram, suggesting an International Commission of Inquiry into Soviet aggressions in north Manchuria, and common action to maintain the spirit of the anti-war pact, which was forwarded to Mi M ac ‘ Donald, Mr Hoover, and other world leaders by a group representing Chinese organisations in Manchuria. Th© message claims that the Russians repeatedly pillaged Chinese towns and massacred innocent Chinese citizens while Chinese troops consistently confined themselves to defensive measures, never setting foot on Soviet soil. Latest messages from Harbin report that all territory between Manchuli and Hailar is held by Soviet forces. The population is experiencing war horrors. Red planes are continuing bombings on a wide scale.