New Britain herald., 1929-07-19
War Clouds Loom

War Clouds Loom London. July 19 LP-The menace of war hung over northeastern Asia today with a tense situation rapidly developing which easily could in volve Russia and China in a battle for supremacy in Manchuria. European correspondents in the affected area reported large concen- trations of troops, both Chinese and Russian. at frontier points on the Chinese Eastern railway, seized last week by Manrhurian authorities, There was admitted to be danger of border clashes in the propln- ouity of these armies. Such incidents concciyablv could precipitate both home governments into a deadly and disastrous conflict.
 Peace Not Broken Little if anything indicated that inc actual peace of the two countries had been broken. The crop of rumors of border incursions and repulses lacked confirmation from any source. Except for frontier clashes there was some disinclination 10 believe the serious situation which has develop ed inevitably meant war.
 The national government of China. Ranking dispatches said, viewed the position as grave, but not hopeless President Chiang Kai Shck presided yesterday at a meeting of national leaders to discuss Ihe situation, What took place was not revealed.
 The traffic on the Chinese Eastern railway has come to standsttll oX- ccpt for the extensive troops move mcnts. Crowds of Chinese have Hooked from the border towns cast ward and to the south, while Rus sians in Manchuria are trying 10 reach Siberia either 10 the west CT the north.
 Thousands of Russians in the in tcrior of China were reported as anxious to leave the country 10 es- Capse internment in the event Of war. Other Russians. whites" said 10 number 20.o00, and accepting the white leader Ataman SrmenoV as their spokcsmcn. were said to he anxious to wage war against the So vict
 Japan seeks Protection
 The Japanese government made arrangements for the protection Of it's nationals in the threatened area and kept a vigilant eye on every happening with the possibility Of Japan becoming involved in the conflict in a military way. The Jap anese general staff was said not 10 expect war.
 The German consular and diplo- matte officials have taken or are taking over Russian interests .n China and Manchuria, and Chinese interests in Russia. The foreign legations al Pciping were represent ed as watching developments close ly, without assuming war was inevi- table.
 Very little news emanated from Moscow and there was nothing in such dispatches as were received 10 indicate any warlkc action was be- ing prepared for The usual Rus sian censorship on press dispatches from Moscow was understood 10 oe in force
 Japanese dispatches said martial law had been declared in Harbin, capital of Manchuria. and the death penalty threatened for anyone spreading alarmist reports. News papers were strictly censored.
 None of the reports reaching here any great cagorness on the part of either government, to fight, observers pointed out, or revealed any movements which necessarily would make fighting inevitable.
 See Soviet Biun
 Some of the London press, which has had no friendly feeling toward the bolshevills, suggested today that Russia was merely bluiing in is stand. one idea being to influence the United States to intervene in an quarrel.
 It was also pointed out that formal severance CT relations by Moscow scarcely altered the position which has existed between Eus>ja and China while the absoncc of diplo- 1 matic relations with other countries is almost a normal situation for the soviet government.
 Influence of the Kellogg anti-war 1 pact, of which both governments /. are signatorics, was expected 10 be |