ACUTE CRISIS

Waikato Times, Volume 113, Issue 18928, 24 April 1933, Page 8

ACUTE CRISIS

FAR EASTERN RAILWAY \ KERNEL OF THE TROUBLE. JAPANESE RAIDS CONTINUE. ' shooting on the frontier. MANCHURIAN THREATS. United Press Assn. —Elec. Tel. Copyright. (Received April 24, 2.45 p.m.) RIGA, April 23. \ Moscow reports the increasing acuteness of the situation on the Russla-Manchurian frontier. Despite M. Karakhan’s Note of April 18 the Japanese continue their raids on the Chinese Eastern Railway. The dispute ostensibly centres in the ownership of 124 locomotives and a quantity of rolling stock, which the Manchurians claim belong to them, but which are detained in Russia. The Soviet officially states the Japanese recently indulged in shooting on the frontier and also captured locomotives and rolling stock proceeding to vladivostock. Manchuria threatens to cut the railway unless the Soviet immediately returns the rolling stock now held by it.

An abrupt Note was handed to the Japanese Ambassador in Moscow referring to recent incidents on the Chinese Eastern Railway as projudicial to the Soviet’s interests. The. Note asked Japan for a speedy reply guaranteeing efficient measures to safeguard the Soviet’s rights. The Soviet complained of the Manchulcuo authcfities’ seizure of railway property and of robbery, murder, kidnapping and torture of Russians employed on the line; also of failure to pay for the transport of Japanese soldiers. The Japanese replied that the matter was one. with which the Soviet should enter into direct negotiations with Manehukuo, which is a Sovereign State.