SOVIET PROTEST

Southland Times, Issue 22132, 28 September 1933, Page 7

SOVIET PROTEST

ARREST OF RAILWAY OFFICIALS. PATIENCE BEING OVER-TAXED. (United Press Assn—Telegraph Copyright.) Moscow, September 26. The Soviet has sent a strong Note to Tokio protesting against the arrests of railway officials and demanding their immediate release, otherwise there will be reprisals against Japanese subjects on Russian soil. . The Izvestia declares that the Soviet is ready to accept the Japanese Manchu challenge, while Pravda warns Japan that she is over-taxing Soviet patience, which is not illimitable.

TENSE SITUATION AMBITIONS OF JAPAN. CHECKS TO FULFILMENT. London, September 18. An extension of the Japanese spheie of interest to inner Mongolia,_ North China, and the maritime province of Russia, is almost certain, declares the special correspondent of The Times, m Manchuria. The life of heavy Russian military concentrations on the Amur frontier hangs by the single thread of the trans-Siberian railway. There are ultimately only two factors to check Japan’s ambitions in Asia—the state of her finances and the quality of the Red Army. The Manchukuo State set up by Japan, must be regarded as un fait accompli, continues the correspondent. The rights and wrongs of Japan’s actions in 1931, are no longer relevant either to the P ie “ sent or the future of the Far East. The country is undergoing what is best described as “enlightened exploitation,” from which 30,090,000 inhabitants will benefit. Banditry is the chief obstacle to peace and prosperity. It is estimated that there were 212,000 bandits , last year. The number is now officially stated to be 60,000, but these are wholetimers. There are probably another 120,000 part-time bandits. The Government is spending 48 times more upon suppression of banditry than upon education. . . Nevertheless, financial progress is rapid. Currency stabilization alone is an inestimable blessing in a country formerly flooded with war lords worthless paper. ~ , Foreign opinion is favourable to tne Japanese, but justifiably anxious about the commercial future of the open door.” Manchuria is not quite as wide open as formerly. The extension of State monopolies will accelerate the almost inevitable doom of foreign commercial interests. The Earl of Lytton, who headed the League of Nations Commission which reported against Japan’s action in Manchuria, protests against the correspondent’s reference to un fait accompli. The League Assembly, he says,, unanimously condemned Japan’s action. If the doctrine of irrelevancy were accepted, it would destroy the foundations of peace.