SOVIET DISCLAIMER

Northern Advocate, 22 August 1929, Page 5

SOVIET DISCLAIMER

MANCHURIAN AGGRESSION CHINA THE CULPRIT. ONUS THROWN ON GOVERNMENTS. (Times Cable.) (Received 9,5 a.m.) LONDON, August 21. The Riga correspondent of the “Times” states that the Soviet has handed to the German Ambassador a note for transmission to the Nanking and Mukden Governments which declares that the Russian-Manchiirian frontier conflicts were all begun by Chinese troops and Russian White Guards under Chinese protection. The note admits that Soviet troops crossed the frontier into Manchuria, but only in consequence of Chinese aggressiveness.

It is asserted further that since July 18 there have been eight -Chinese raids into Russian territory, the last being on August .18, in which the Soviet lost six killed and six'wounded.

The note concludes with the warning that unless the Chinese authorities disarm the White Russian detachments and prevent all Chinese raids on Russian territory the Soviet Government will hold the Nanking and Mukden Governments responsible for the consequences.

MARTIAL LAW ENACTED,

ALONG EASTERN RAILWAY,

ATTACK WITH ARMOURED TRAINS.

(Australian Press Association.) (Received 12.4 p.m.) SHANGHAI, August 21.

In consequence of the increasingly grave situation in Manchuria, martial law jms been declared along the entire Chinese Eastern Railway following a series of acts of sabotage, including derailment of a passenger train and bridge destruction, which are attributed to Communists.,

In a message from headquarters General Chang So-hsiang states . that artillery brigades and the Kirin forces are proceeding to the front to engage Soviet raiding parties on the border.

Major engagements have not been reported since the I6th, though 'there are extensive troop movements oh bath sides, obviously preparing for definite warlike operations. ' Marieliuli correspondents report that two Soviet armoured trains loaded with infantry appeared 800 metres west of Manchuli. They deployed under cover of a train bomibardtnent and attacked Chinese entrenchments, the Chinese replying with trench mortars. The Reds eventually retired to the trains. Thirty Chinese were killed.