The Washington times., 1929-09-10
CHINESE ARMY
/. FACES SOVIET
TROOPS
Ry JOHN GOETTE

HARDIN, Manchuria, Sept. 10
-Q.N.s@.--Two Soviet ana Chinese
armies, totalIing about 40, 900 men.
equipped for field service and drawn
up in battle array, face each other
in the Pogranichnaya (Sulfenlno)
region today.
This area has been the scene of
violent fighting in the past u
hours, the Soviet forces having bonn
harded Pogranichnaya with artillery
during intermittent fighting between
infantry.
The Chinese troops In that zone
are estimated at 10000 and the
Soviets are believed to have an
equal number.
Civilians Flee City
Only 1900 civilian residents re.
main in Pogranichnaya because of
the continued dangers from fighting
between land and air forces.
The international News Service
staff correspondent arrived in Har.
bin today after a visit to the Pc.
granlchnaya sector where he visited
the Chinese front lines just before
the battle began on Saturday.
The Chinese defensive trenches,
dugouts and machine gun positions
are excellently constructed after
the manner OF such military works
In France during the World War,
They are manned by obviously de.
termined troops.
The correspondent visited the
Chinese positions along the Ussuri
railroad. three miles from Pogran.
ichnaya.
Rails Torn Up
The Chinese have torn IN the
rails beyond the third tunnel TO
prevent the movement Of Russian
armored trains.
The first Mukden army corps.
numbering about 10000 men, the
picked force OF Marshal Chang
Hsueh.Liang. military governor OF
Manchuria and son OF the late
Marshal Chang Tso-Lin, Is sta
toned about 100 miles east of
Hardin.
The Chinese troops on the east
ern frontier are in a bellicose mood
as the result of numerous stories of
Russian i'll treatment of Chinese
subjects. The authorities circulated
reports Of Soviet cruelty upon the
Chinese.
LONDON, England, Sept. 10
U.N.S).-Soviet activity along the
Manchurian frontier Is due to the
arrival of reInforcements and or.
ganization Of the Russian forces by
General Butcher, generalissimo of
the Soviet troops. according to a
Mukden dispatch to the London
Times.
Further reinforcements. the dis.
patch states. are expected from Mos.
COW within a week.
Chinese forces have been ordered
to defend themselves to the utmost,
but to refrain from entering Soviet
| territory, the message declares. The
| commander In chief of the Chinese
| army has sent an urgent demand to
Marking for reinforcements.
MOSCOW, Sept. 10 0.N.s.l-
Charges that the Chinese govern
ment had precipitated the present
Soviet advance by recurrent attacks
along the Manchurian frontier are
made by the Soviet foreign office
in a note dispatched to Marking
through the German ambassador In
| Moscow.
The note declares that Soviet troops
! had been compelled to take stern
retaliatory action" in order to pro.
tect the population of Siberian from
| tier towns.
1t alleges that frequent attacks
have been made during the last few
weeks by Chinese troops and white
Russian guards, for whose actions
Marking holds the Marking govern
ment responsible.
Grave consequences" are, threat
ened il additional assaults by Chinese
troops occur.
TOKYO. Sept. 10 Q.N.S.).-Despite
reports Of heavy fighting between
Soviet and Chinese troops on the
western and eastern border fronts
in Manchuria, japanese official.
expressed confidence today thai
war will not develop.
HostiIities in the regions Of
| Pogranichnaya and Manchuli are
delaying communications and il
was impossible today to learn thu
full extent of the battles, the mum
bers of men engaged and the
casualties.
Delayed advices indicated wide
scale hostilities along the Chinese
Eastern Railway with infantry