FAR EAST

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 May 1933, Page 7

FAR EAST

MANCHURIAN RAILWAY SALE. [BY CABLE PRESS ASSN. COPYRIGHT.] MOSCOW, May 12.. M. Litvinoff, in a statement explaining the Soviet’s reasons for'Wishing to sell to Japan the Chinese Eastern Railways, says that the line has become a permanent source of friction with the Japanese and Manchukuo Governments, and therefore its sale would serve the interests of peace. He repudiates the Nanking Chinese Government’s right to protest at such sales, by pointing out that the Nanking Government had forfeited this, right eighteen months ago when it ceased to be an active partner m the management of the railway, which, he says, the Soviet is entitled to sell to anybody willing to buy it. The Soviet had always considered that this railwav should belong to the master of the territory over which the line- passes, but as it was constructed with hard-earned money of Russia’s toiling masses, the Government could not sacrifice the property rights for nothing. CHINA PROTEST. (Recd. May 13, 10.30 a.m.) SHANGHAI, May 12. China claims that she is unable to fulfil treaty obligations in regard to the control of the Chinese Eastern Railway, owing to the Japanese invasion *of Manchuria and other unforseen developments. She further asserts that any attempt to sell railway to Manchukuo, or any other party, would constitute grounds for severe straining of Sino-Soviet relations. Nanking contends that Russia possesses only property rights, and has no strategic rights, whatever. PLANES OVER PEKIN. SHANGHAI, May 12. Japanese aeroplanes continue peiiodic flights over'Pekin, increasing the tension locally. . Heavy fighting continues inside the Wall, with the Chinese slowly retreating. When a huge Japanese bomber appeared over Pekin, to-day, dropping handbills, the Chinese defences opened fire, causing a section of the pc pulace to stampede.