Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-07-18
POWERS EYE
WAR MOVES
IL s. And Japan Look
closely AT China And
Russian Troubles

WASHINGTON, July 18.-(P-
With mingled feelings of apprehen-
sion lest war be imminent in the
Orient and hope that armed hos
tilities may yet be avoided. the
Washington government is keeping
close watch on the rapidly develop
ing controversy between Russia and
China.
Press dispatches and consular adj
vices from Manchuria are being
given detailed study in a search for
the proper Interpretation of the ac-
ton of the soviet union in breaking
off diplomatic relations with the
Marking government.
While it was pointed out war
would not necessarily follow, and
circumstances we're cited which we're
regarded as virtually compelling an
amicable settlement, it was gener-
ally agreed the diplomatic rupture
had served at best to add consider
able gloom to the outlook.
Close Touch
With Americas extensive far east
ern interests necessarily involved,
the state department has kept III
constant touch with the situation
since its inception a week ago TO-DAY
in the seizure Of the Chinese eastern
railway by the Chinese. President
Hoover himself has followed de-
velopments with All interest induced
not only by the gravity Of the stu
0fio, ht1f hxy q in+io,o4a EoOrrJaJon
of the places and conditions involved
which he gained during years of
travel in Siberia and Manchuria as
a mining engineer.
BY some officials, the severance OF
the thin thread of diplomatic inter
course that has kept Russia and
China or speaking terms since the
communistic outbreak in Canton two
years ago was accepted as logical.
To them, it was the expected result
of the stand taken by the soviet gov
eminent, its ultimatum and yelled
threat of retaliation, and its inter
probation of the Chinese reply as un-
satisfactory.
Warfare Doubted
Others, while not discounting re-
ports of troop movements on both
sides Of the Siberian Manchurian
border, were Of the belief economic
circumstances would avert actual
warfare.
They pointed out that both the
Marking and Moscow regimes are
young as governments go, have yet
to attain financial stability, and
could be expected to prove extreme
Nv reluctant to undertake an ex-
pensive war. The food shortage in
both countries also was cited, to-
gether with the difficulty Russia
would encounter in transporting
troops and supplies across Siberia
and maintaining communication lines
over such a distance.
MOSCOW, July 18.-LP)-Soviet
Russia proceeded today to make ef-
fective Immediately a complete
break in relations with the Chinese
nationalist government. The action
portended possibly the gravest po-
litical consequences.
Russian representatives, both
trade and diplomatic, in China were
ordered home, railway communica-
tons between the two countries sus-
pended, and Chinese officials in
Russia told they must leave imme-
diately.
The break was made late last
night. almost to TIE hour upon ex-
piration of a three-day ultimatum
given by Moscow to Marking de-
manding restoration Of the status
quo in Manchuria, where Chinese
officials have seized the Russian
owned Chinese Eastern railway
yhe Russians allowed "a hours for
transmission and translation Of the
ultimatum.
Reply Unsatisfactory
A note to STA Wen Sun. Chinese
charge d'affaires, from L. M. Kara
khan, vice commiSSar for foreign
affairs, announced the Soviet &C
ton, the note saying Markings an
swer to the Moscow ultimatum had
been entirely unsatisfactory. Pre-
viously there had been reason to
believe the Marking answer would
be considered as conciliatory.
NJ. Karakhan's note said all
means of reaching an amicable set