FAR EAST CRISIS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18204, 27 September 1933, Page 7

FAR EAST CRISIS

FOUR STATES INVOLVED DISPUTE OVER RAILWAY CHINESE REBELS ADVANCE (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Received Sept. 27, noon) ■ SHANGHAI, Sept. 26. Following the arrest of lour Soviet citizens, technical servants on the Chinese Eastern Railway recently, three others were taken into custody yesterday, including tho stationmaster at Pogranitchnaya, in connection with the alleged wrongful evacuation of 79 locomotives, the property of the Chinese Eastern Railway, into Siberia, wtiile an accountant was arrested for monetary irregularities. M. Slavntsky, Harbin Consul-General, entered a .strong verbal, protestand received .a reply that Mancliukuo’s action is not taken against the men as Soviet citizens, but as railway employees legally responsible for wrongful acts. Business on the railway is now’ reported at a .standstill. Rumors that these, arrests are preliminary to Manc'hukuo taking over the line are .denied, 1 hough the denials are accepted sceptically. The-Soviet has*sent a strong note to Tokio protesting, against the. al’rpsts and demanding tho immediate release of, tho men. Otherwise, there will be reprisals against Japanese subjects on Russian soil. . ,

' The Izvestia declares that the Soviet is ready to accept a Japanesc-Manchu challenge, while the Pravda warns Japan that ‘she is overtaxing Soviet patience, which is not illimitable. A Pekin message says the Fang ChenWu rejected the Japanese ultimatum. Hostilities are therefore inevitable tomorrow.

A Japanese plane has already dropped a bomb in Shunyo, south of Niulanshan but Japanese officials here declare that the Japanese forces will not cross the truce line in pursuit of the rabble. Pekin authorities are confident that they will be able to safeguard the city. Four Japanese bombers roared over Pekin to-day, dropping a further shower of leaflets reiterating the. intention to drive Fang from the demilitarised zone in accordance with the ultimatum expiring to-morrow. The Chinese press fears that the bandit chief, known as the “Old Rat,’’ will attempt to create disturbances behind the lines in Pekin and. Tientsin.