MUTUAL DENIALS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19700, 4 August 1938, Page 7

MUTUAL DENIALS

BLAME FOR CLASH RUSSIANS AND JAPANESE MANCHUKUO FRONTIER “PURELY DEFENSIVE” MASSING OF FORCES (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Tress Assn,) (Reed. Aug. 4, noon.) LONDON, Aug. 3. Reports From Tokio stated that two battalions of Russians again attacked Changkufeng,' iii Manchukuo, at 7 a.m. to-day, but were repulsed after a' sharp engagement. The Japanese maintained their position. It is alleged in Tokio that Russian artillery resumed the bombardment of the Changkufeng area. The Japanese emphasise that they are acting puroly-' defonsively.-They deny a single crossing of the Soviet frontier. The Japanese spokesman says he believes the trouble Ls entirely due to the local Soviet force. He alleged that 60 Soviet bombers carried out the raid on Kojo. The Japanese War Office spokesman said that regular Red Army forces had replaced the border guards. Hence a more serious view was taken of the position. The Japanese Foreign Office estimates that the opposing forces number 1,000,000 Russians and 500,000 Japanese, the latter being the flower of the Imperial army. Building Earthworks A rcorean communique states that Soviet troops covered by 19 guns and 30 tanks reached within 150 yards of the Japanese lines at Shaotsoping and were then forced to withdraw half a mile. They are constructing earthworks. Low clouds are masking the activities of Soviet planes. The artillery bombardment of Jojo was continued all day and the inhabitants are evacuating the town. Air raid precautions were applied in northern Korea and the whole of Japan, notably Tokio. The Tokio correspondent of the Daily Telegraph says that fresh fighting has broken out when Soviet troops launched an attack at night* fall on Changkufeng. Version at Moscow The official Tass Agency at Moscow emphatically denies that Soviet airmen raided Manchukuo or Korea. The agency states that the Soviet army and air force has been given strict orders to defend only Soviet territory and that false reports have been circulated by Japan to justify her own attacks against the Soviet. The latest communique issued at Moscow states (that the Japanese shelled and airbombed as they advanced in Soviet territory. A crowded indignation meeting of artisans and soldiers at Moscow adopted a resolution pledging loyalty in defence of sacred Soviet soil and promising to rebuff the “insolent Japanese militarists.” Tokio Accusations In replying to the Soviet denials of air raids the Japanese War Office affirms at Tokio that one of 21 bombers raiding Kinsoyjo on Tuesday was brought down and identified. Another was identified similarly at Keiko. It also is alleged in Tokio that Soviet airmen to-day bombed a bridge near Seoul. A further protest has been sent to* Moscow concerning the air raids. The Tokio newspaper Nichi Nichi Shimbun says 'that if the Soviet is not disposed to seek an amicable settlement, Japan can wait another occasion, because Japan must first attain her objectives in China. Then she can settle outstanding Russo-Japanese problems speedily and definitely. Major Clash Unlikely Mr. Saburo Oh La, of the Japanese Embassy staff at Moscow, who is spending a vacation in Tokio, said today that a major clash was most milikely as the Soviet had no aggressive intentions. A Berlin message is that the German opinion generally is that the Soviet and Japan will not want war. Chief interest in Berlin concerns the query as to whether Moscow’s policy is intended to ihelp China or to bolster up the home position. The Printe Minister of Japan, Prince Konoye was interviewed by the Berlin paper Volkischer Beobachter. He said that Japan was determined to urge on the Soviet the necessity of a peaceful settlement.