BORDER STRIFE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20045, 18 September 1939, Page 6

BORDER STRIFE

SOVIET-JAPAN TERMS OF ARMISTICE CONCESSION PLANNED . SHOCK FOR CHINESE INVADERS RENEW DRIVE (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Sept. 18, 9 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 16. A Moscow message states that the official Soviet agency announces that Japan and Russia have agreed to a Manchukuan armistice on the following terms: (1) The Japanese and the Man-chukuan-Soviet and Mongolian troops will cease hostilities as from midnight, British standard time, to-night. (2) The combatants will remain on ;he lines occupied at 11 a.m. British standard time on Friday. (3) Representatives of both sides will carry out the above agreements immediately. (4) Prisoners and corpsesc will be exchanged forthwith.

ine Japanese Ambaas« u .i- io Russia and the Soviet Foreign Minister further agreed that a commission consisting of two delegates from each Mde shall be organised at the earliest opportunity to establish the precise frontier in the disputed area.

Tokio reports that the cease-fire order was given on the Manchurian frontier. The Japanese Fpreign Office confirmed the Russian-Japanese truce in the Mongolia-Manehu kuo border dispute with provision tor fixing the border by commission. Axis Now Obsolete The Tokio newspaper Kochi declared that the Tokio-Berlin axis was obsolete, insofar a 1 anti-Communism is concerned. However, the JapaneseGerman “spiritual front” remained vis-a-vis the democracies. While the democracies pursue a pro-Chiang Kai-Shek policy they should be deemed Japan’s enemies. The Yomiuri Shimbun says that Japan's policy of non-intervention in Europe and concentration of her effort in China will be strengthened as a result of the agreement with Russia.

The Soviet Government has appointed M. Constantin Smetanin as the Ambassador to Japan, thus filling a post which nas been vacant for a year.

The Moscow correspondent of the New York Times says that Japanese circles profess that a non-aggression pact between Russia and Japan is a question for 'he most distant future. They point out that the present agreement for a cessation of war on the Mongolian ..'Order does not affect issues like Sakhalin Island, and Russian support for Chinese Communists, who, they assert, comprise a majority of the commanders of the Chinese forces. Russian Communist propaganda among the Chinese is even more dangerous.

They profess scepticism at the settlement of ihese issues, especially the latter, which is essential to a nonaggression pact. It is admitted that an agreement would please Germany, but it is maintained that it would facilitate the British-Japanese negotiations. It is suggested that the agreement made by Sir Robert Craigie, British Ambassador, arising out of the Tientsin blockade is valuable in the JapaneseSoviet negotiations. The Russian readiness to agree is due to the Soviet’s anxiety to have a free hand on the West front.

Possible Terms to Britain

The armistice has not surprised the British, who feared a neutrality pact, but it ig certainly unwelcome, as it enables Japan to stiffen her terms if Britain wishes to prevent a further German success through the completion of a neutrality pact. A message from Chungking states that the Russian-Japanese armistice created a painful impression, the view being that Russia should continue to support China, because she is fighting both for self-preservation and Russia. It is felt that a more positive United States policy may follow the Russian-Japanese rapprochement. The Chung King correspondent of the New York Times says that military leaders have arrived to participate in a supreme defence council to formulate China’s war plans in the coming months, especially the strategy in the event of a Japanese intensified campaign as a result of the European war and the Russian-Japanese truce, A further Tokio message states that the Japanese opened a general offensive north-west of Kiangsi, advancing westward and southward from Nachang and driving back four Chinese army corps.

The French journalist “Pertinax,” writing in L’Oeuvre anticipates that Herr Hitler is planning a Japanese coup similar to the Russian pact Combining a war of nerves with a war of steel. He believes that if his peace moves are backed by the Italian-Russian bogey the democracies will not be so firmly resolved on refusal.