Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-18
RUSSIAN MINISTER
SAYS REPLY VAGUE
Breaking OF Relations Occurs
on DeadIine Set by Soviet
in UItimatum.
az the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
The Russian action in breaking off
diplomatic relations with China came at
the expiration of time set in an ultima
tum, which the Soviet Union dispatched
to the Chinese Republic on July 10.
That ultimatum gave the Nationalist
government ut Marking three days in
which to rescind its action in Seizing
the Chinese Eastern Railway in Man
churia.
1t also demanded restoration to Office
of the Russian officials who had been
deposed from their places in the rail-
way and the liberation of all Russian
nationals who had been imprisoned. BY
the terms of the ultimatum, the closing
of Russian institutions in Manchuria,
such as banks. railway unions ana ousi-
ness SyndicateS, also was to be re-
scinded.
Delay In TransIating Brought Stay.
While the three days specified in the
nltimatum would have expired Tuesday,
vet the Soviet government learned that
there had been a delay of at least "a
hours in transIating and transmitting
the note to Marking. With this time
added, the ultimatum expired at mid
night wednesday, which was almost the
exact 1lOuL ~ WAlANn
the break was made.
Marking had sent q reply which the
TsSS Agency, official Russian news as
tributor, described as "a conclllatory
communicate" AS given out in Moscow,
the Chinese Nationalist government IN
this reply said that 1t desired only
Deaceful relat with the Soviet union
and that the measures taken at HafOih
ought not to affect the relations between
the two governments, the lntlmaIlon
being that they were directed at mol
yid,Isls rather than at the Russian state
itself.
The Chinese note stated tRat 1t mac
been written before the entire text OF
the Russian ultimatum had arrived 81
Marking. but that enough had come
to make the general tenor Of the COM
munication Understandable.
Chinese Points Are Outlined.
As announced in China, the Marking
reply contained three points which tine
Nationalists considered OF especial nm
nortance. The first was that Chu Gao
Yang. former Ambassador at Moscow,
soon would leave Marking for the
Soviet Capital to discuss all questions
between the two governments. Tne
second was a demand that Russia re-
lease all Chinese citizens who were I'M
prisoned within Soviet territory and the
third was a demand for adequate pro-
lection of Chinese nationals in Russia.
The Marking note also contained
promise to reply more fully to the RUS
sian communication as soon as the 1uii
text of the latter became available.
While Tass described this note as
"conciliatory," and while that estima-
ton was echoed from Toxic, the pop
uIar opinion of it was reflected by mob
attacks upon the Chinese consulate IN
MOSCOW. These we're especially violent
on Tuesday night.
Soviet Declines Responsibility.
Aside from this evidence of hostility
there was little to indicate the i'm
minence Of a break. An indirect report
coming by way of Rica, Latvia, said
that L. M. Karakhan, vice commiSSar
for foreign affairs, had handed a note
to the Chinese representative at Moscow
which expressed surprise at the vague
ness of the Marking reply to the ulti-
matum. This report also said that M.
Karakhan refused to take any RESPONSE
bility on behalf of his government for
alleged activities Of Communist propa-
gandists in Manchuria.
1t was this alleged activity in spread
ing Soviet doctrines that the Chinese
blamed for the entire situation. They
declared that Russian agents had vio-
lated a treaty made in 1924 which con-
tanned this clause:
THE governments of the two con-
| tracing parties mutually pledge them
selves not to permit within their respec-
| tive territories. the existence or activ-
| tiles of any Organizations or groups
whose aim is to contend by acts OF