The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-12-03
DID AN ULTER|OR
MOTIVE ACTUATE
JAP GOVERNMENT?
Foreign Ministers Look
Gravely Upon the Act of
Sending Troops to China
to Protect Subjects
STEP TAKEN AFTER
KILLINGS BY BANDITS
TERRITORY ALLEGED LONG Gov
ETED BY SUBJECTS or THE
MIKADO; PLEA MAY BE
ONLY EXCUSE

Peking, Nov. 2-The fact that Jap
anese authorities sent troops TO the
frontier town of Hungchun, in Chinese
territory for the announced purpose
Of protecting Japanese subjects, after
the town had been raided by bandits,
appears TO have raised a serious
controversy between the foreign min
istries of the countries in question,
and incidentally 10 have reopened an
old controversy concerning an ada
cent territory known as Chientao.
,Hungchun, a Chinese town on the
Tumen river at q point where the
borders of China, Korea and the
Maritime province of Siberia meet.
1t is about 90 miles south of Vladivos-
tok.)
The Chinese press accuses the Jap
anesc of being actuated by an utter
ior motive in the course they have
pursued. e. Lenox Simpson, statsti-
clan TO the president of China, has
pointed out that 1t Is significant that
such attacks by Chinese bandits are
always attempted where Japan wishes
10 SET up SdrrlSoHS.
Early in October 4 band of out
laws which is said to have numbered
several thousand and TO have been
well supplied with modern rifles
and machine guns, entered Hungchun,
killed a number OF people, including
it is said, several japanese, and burn
ed the Japanese consulate. After the
fa cofA af a n
impending repetition Of the outrage
the Japanese moved troops into the
place and incidentally into the ada
cent territory of Chientao.
In the course of diplomatic ex-
changes over the situation, IL appears
that the Toxic foreign office assumed
that Peking had agreed to "co-opera-
ton" by Japanese troops, whereas the
Chinese foreign ministry alleges that,
the invasion having already occurred
when the question OF cooperation
was first discussed, its attitude was
one OF protest against q fait accom-
plished.
Il. Lenox Simpson putnam Weale),
comments on the Hungchun affair in
"Hungchun Is the nearest important
point on Chinese territory TO the Sea
OF Japan. that important sheet OF
water which is virtudy landlocked
and OF which Japan now holds all the
keys Hungchun is so close to Pos
siet Bay that it Is reached in a few
hours by carriage. That it should have
Ga.
sacre' is curious and Illuminating
Immediately prior TO this affair, II
should be recalled. the Chinese BAN
dts attacked the valuable Su Chan
coal mines near Vladivoslok, necessi-
tating their occupation by japanese
troops precisely in the way that Huns,
chun has now been occupied.
"The remarkable audacity which tho
bandits of Manchuria have developed
during the past year is n curious iea-
ture Of nebulous situation. The
writer, when in the region of the
Chinese eastern railway on an Official
mission, did his best to pierce the mist
which surrounds the fact that such
n large number Of japanese rifles
and machine guns and Japanese hand
rrenadcs should be distributed through
this area, weapons not so easily ac-
uuired as to make tho ordinary eX-
PLANTATION acceptable, The fact that
those attacks were always attempted
whore Japan seems anxious to install
porrisons was held peculiarly sig
nificant"
Mr.. Simpson goes on TO say that
the conclusions he reached on the oc-
casion of an investigating trip TO
Manchuria were that there may be
"A section or group of men connected
with Japanese staffs who favor the
use OF these bands in order to break
down authority; that these bands
have been supplied with or allowed
10 purchase all the weapons they re-
aulre and that they perhaps do not
respect the orders OF their agent
leaders and, in the heat Of raids, act
like savages.
"Hungchun and the long-covcted
Chientao area which IL enclosed by
the two arms of the Tumen river"
no continues, "havc lately acquired
speca, Significance because OF the
occupation Of Posslct Bay by the
Japanese. This superb anchorage which
lies only 60 miles away from Vladivos-
tok. IL splcndidly placed TO serve ko-
rcan. Russian and Chinese territory,
and Is destined to be another Dairen
and the terminus of a new kirkin