WHITE RUSSIA RIOT.

Waikato Times, Volume 111, Issue 18653, 3 June 1932, Page 5

WHITE RUSSIA RIOT.

ANTI-SOVIET ATTACK. e OUTBREAK IN MANCHURIAN CITY. “DEATH TO CHINESE.” The Week in China, in Its issue of January 10, gives a series of despatches dealing with the riots staged by Russian Whites in Harbin on January 2, 3 and 4 (states the Moscow News). As a prelude to these spatches the Week In China Publishes a brief article by the United P res 3 correspondent in Manchuria, datedDecember 26, commenting on the new White Russian newspaper recently launched In Harbin and which is "frankly subsidised by the Japanese. This newspaper has started a series of scurrilous attacks on prominent officials. Its policy, states the United Press correspondent, “reveals Japanese determination to win the fa;v ’ o ur of the White Russians, who might become a powerful factor in Manchurian politics, and Japanese willingness to win this favour at the expense or the Soviets." “As a result,” the correspondent continues, “probably every White Rusisan in North as well as South Manchuria Is an enthusiasts supporter of the Japanese." Inoident Starts Riots. Aooordlng to Press despatches from Harbin, Tientsin and Peiping, the riots started on January 2 In Harbin, when large crowds of Russians gathered in front of a Chinese shop on the Kitaiskaya. They claimed that a Russian White, Kindovitoh by name, had been beaten by the shop employees. One report states that the man had been caught stealing; another that the Russian White was beaten during a dispute with the shopmen over the mischief done by a boy who accompanied the White. Arrested by the Chinese police, Kindovitoh was immediately set at liberty, the police officials viewing the affair as merely a petty incident of the Russian holidays. Notwithstanding the fact, a menacing mob of Russian Whites —10,000 In number, according to a local despatch —crying, “Down with the Chinese people. Beat them to death.l” assembled in the main thoroughfare of Harbin, built barricades of furniture and stopped all traffic. The Chinese police attempted to disperse the mob, but being inferior In number were obliged to retire. By evening the disorders had spread throughout the entire city. The following day, though energetically opposed by Chinese police, the riots continued. The rioters tried to force the Chinese police captain and the owner of the raided Chinese shop to visit the Japanese Consul-General, claiming that only the Japanese officials could investigate the Kindoviteh incident and. punish the “guilty.” The Japanese Consul, passing in his automobile, was greeted by storms of enthusiastic “Banzais” (Anglice, “Hurrahs”). In the afternoon of January 3, as the rioters still refused to disperse, Chinese police fired on the mob, wounding four demonstrators. According to the Chinese press, the police opened fire only after policemen had been killed and several wounded by shots from the Russian Whites. Whites Attack Police. On January 4 the riots began again. Crowds of Russian Whites, shooting at random, invaded the .streets, firing on the Chinese police and attacking police stations. They were repulsed with difficulty by the police squads. On one rioter arrested by the police was found a receipt for 25 yen, issued by the Japanese Consulate. General Chang Ching-hui, Civil Governor of Harbin, lodged a protest with,Mr Ohashi, the Japanese Consulgeneral. “The Japanese official," concludes a Peiping despatch, “denied that the Japanese are behind the Russian Whites, but he promised to warn the Japanese-subsidised Russian paper m Harbin.”

In spite of the official denial of Japanese support of the Russian Whites, the fact, admitted by Mr Ohashi, remains that Japanese funds are subsidising the Harbin organ of the Russian White colony, whoso polloy is openly anti-Chinese and aggressively anti-Soviet.