SINO RUSSIAN CRISIS

Taranaki Daily News, 24 July 1929, Page 9

SINO RUSSIAN CRISIS

ARREST OF 1000 CHINESE MANCHULI REDS WITHDRAW INTERVENTION OF POWERS KELLOGG PACT REMINDER By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. • Australian Press Association. Received July 23, 11.50 p.m. Shanghai, July 23. The chief information from the North emanates iiom Japanese observers, who report that the Soviet authorities at Vladivostock have arrested approximately 1600 Chinese business men for a purpose unstated.

Russian icsidents of Mancluili have l '" practically completed their ordered with--e drawal outside Chinese territory, moving iv across the border. The German Legation at Pekin has •- received telegraphic instructions from d the home Government to undertake pros tection of Soviet residents in China. The legation has wired Nanking to this ef- . feet. The Germans took complete cont trol of the Soviet legation quarters at 3 noon to-day, the majority- of the Rus- ' sians departing to Tientsin. A message from Moscow states that t it is semi-officially stated the Soviet , has declined France’s offer of mediation , owing to the Chinese refusal to restore ' the status quo on the railway. It is reported the United States is considering the formation of an International Arbitration Commission composed of representatives from the countries which signed the Kellogg anti-war pact in order to deal with the SinoRussian crisis. It is understood, however, that America will first endeavour to secure the withdrawal of the military forces concentrated on the SinoRussian frontier. The Nanking Government has decided to reply to the Soviet’s second Note reiterating its desire to settle the railway dispute by peaceful means. The new Note will ask that a Russian delegate be appointed to confer with China’s delegate, Mr. Chush Aomin, the Charge d’Affaires at Moscow. | DEFENCE MEASURES ALONE. i NANKING GOVERNMENT DECISION, j Shanghai, July 22. The Government leaders at Nanking have decided that China should confine herself to defence measures alone. Any firing from the Chinese side of the border will be in self-defeiice. • The majority of the Chinese officials at Nanking reiterate their confidence that Russia will not fight. A Japanese report states that 2500 Soviet troops surrounded Manehuli in consequence of another rumour that Japan was dispatching military forces to Manchuria to protect her nationals in the event of an outbreak of hostilities between China and Russia. It is reported that every White Russian residing in China is prepared for active service to assist China, A Peking message states that the Chinese military authorities are reinforcing the Urga front following receipt of information that the Soviet tactics appear to be forcing pressure on the western front, while pretending to attack the eastern border.

Over 80 foreigners who hoped to travel Europe via Siberia are held up at Bardin, on the confluence of the Sungari and Heilungkiang Rivers.

Soviet gunooats seized three Chinese merchantmen and removed passengers whom they carried into Russian territory. . Nanking is instructing its Ministers abroad to notify the signatories of the Kellogg Pact that China does not intend to enter on a conflict with Russia and is prepared to negotiate with a view to an amicable settlement. S’he is also willing to submit the question to the League as well as to the signatories of the Kellogg Paet.

A foreign military observer who recently arrived from Siberia asserts that Russia has been preparing for the Manchurian trouble for months, and lias now concentrated 120,000 troops on the border, with heavy artillery, bombing planes, gas machines, and every device for modern warfare.

WHAT IF PEACE IS BROKEN?

ATTITUDE OF THE POWERS.

(British Official Wireless). Rugby, July 22.

The Rt. Hon. A. Henderson, Foreign Secretary, replying to a question in the House of Commons, confirmed the information that, as the result of communications received from the United States Government on Saturday, the British Government sent an intimation both to the United States Government and the French Govcrnmet that it associated itself with them in all efforts they were making to secure a pacific settlement between the Soviet Government of Russia and the Chinese Government. Mr. Henderson was asked whether he would give an undertaking that there would be no diplomatic relations with either of those Powers if the Kellogg Pact was not kept. He replied: “I think that to give a commitment like that, In view of the fact that it has not been decided which of the two countries is at fault, would not be in the interests of peace.” The Foreign Secretary stated that no reply had yet been received from the Soviet Government in answer to his invitation to them to appoint a responsible representative to visit London. M. Claudel has presented Mr. Stimson, Secretary of State, with Moscow’s assurance that Russia recognises the power of the Kellogg Pact and desires to force no action with China, states a Washington cable. Soviet circles welcome the offer of German mediation, which is the only acceptable channel. It declines the mediation of the League of Nations because the majority of the League’s members are imbued with the anti-Soviet spirit.