The Mongolian Border

Southland Times, Issue 22856, 3 April 1936, Page 6

The Mongolian Border

For some time relations between Japan and Russia have been strained by incidents on the Mongolian border. There have been raids and skirmishes resulting in fairly heavy casualties, and there have been numerous protests by each government to the other. But so long as the exchanges of shots were followed by nothing more serious than exchanges of notes, the world at large was not greatly perturbed. However the announcement that a treaty of “mutual assistance” has been concluded between the Soviet Government and Outer Mongolia, and the fresh invasion of Mongolia by Japan which was reported yesterday, have made the situation more serious. The uncertainty of the boundary between Mongolia and Manchukuo has been both a cause of friction between these countries and a reason for Russia and Japan adopting a more conciliatory attitude than they would have if the boundary had been clearly defined. Mongolian and the Manchukuoan officials could with some justification claim that their troops went no further than they had a right to go, and when a clash occurred the powers behind these puppet governments, Russia and Japan, had to be content with registering formal protests. But the Soviet has grown more and more impatient as Japan has pushed the Manchukuoan border into Mongolian territory. That her patience is almost exhausted is evident from her action in concluding a treaty with Mongolia and with the edict issued to soldiers of the Red Army to shoot at sight any Japanese who invade Mongolian territory. “The enemies who hoped to catch us unawares will be disappointed,” said a recent Soviet statement—a warning which Japan is not altogethei- disregarding. Her replies to the Soviet have been more placatory than formerly, and it does not appear that she is anxious just now to cross swords with her powerful neighbour, who is much better equipped than in 1904, and whose soldiers could be expected to have better leadership and more determination than in the war which ended so ingloriously for Russia-