Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-05
War Clouds in the East.

As the League OF Nations ''ulti-
matum" TO Japan, demanding with
drawal OF japanese troops In Man
churia from beyond the treaty zones
along the South Manchurian Railway,
approaches its expiration date, Noyem-
Der 49, war clouds in the Far East show
signs of darkening rather than lifting
BY far the most ominous manifestation
in the heavens Swallowed by them Is
the indication that Russia may be
drawn into the controversy now con-
fined to China and Japan. If Russia
were to be embroiled the international
ramifications Of the controversy would
spread like wildfire. Rumania and
Poland, thousands Of miles from the
scene, are already contemplating 1t with
anxiety.
Japanese forces have occupied the
important railway town Of Tsitsihar,
400 miles northwest OF Mukden, the
Manchurian capital. and definitely sit
uated within the Russian sphere Of In
fiuence. TsitSihar lies athwart q
branch OF the Chinese Eastern Rail-
way, the jointly controlled Russian
Chinese line over which the Soviets and
China nearly went to war in 1929. 1t
was In anticipation, or actually on ac-
count. OF Japanese military movements
toward Tsitsihar, apparently, that Rus
Sia has concentrated troops on the
Russian Chinese border, provoking
formal protest from Japan.
Meantime, fighting operations, ac-
cording to Toxic news dispatches. have
been renewed between units of the Chi
nese Amur Army and japanese troops
guarding engineers at the Nonni River
Bridge on the Taonan Anganchi Rail-
way. This is the bridge japanese Army
bombers recently destroyed from the
air. Since then the Japanese military
authorities in Manchuria have called
upon the Chinese TO repair the bridge.
Upon their comprehensive refusal to
do so. Japanese forces we're moved into
the region, thus extending the Japa-
nese zone of military occupation. There
upon the Japanese themselves under
took to rebuild the bridge, the Chinese
being warned under penalty Of severe
measures" not 10 interfere with the re-
construction work. This admonition
seems to have been ignored by the
Chinese. with the result that the guns
are going off on both sides amid some
thing bearing an ugly resemblance to
- 10 inn
international aspect of the Nonni Bridge
incident is that Sino-Japanese fighting
over 1t is taking place only few miles
south of Tsitsihar, which is claimed as
. Russian sphere-of influence area.
The State Department it is an
nounced, is frankly concerned over this
latest phase of the interminable Sino-
Japanese conflict with its manifest
widening Of Japan's military authority
In Manchuria In his communications
rotary Stimson has stressed Americas
interest in the situation as flowing ex-
cllsively from our desire TO see that the
kellogg BRAND pact remains unyio-
lated II hardly anything more devel-
ops than is now taking place in Man
churia. a violation has already all but oc-
CURED. The State Department is await
ing its own account Of events in the
trouble region from American Consul
General George Hanson, who has been
dispatched from Mukden TO survey and
report upon the situation.
II Mr. Hanson finds that war. or any
thing that looks as much like war as the
censored news now reaching the outside
world indicates, is raging in Manchuria,
the time 10 remind the breakers Of the
kellogg BRAND pact, and remind them
forcefully, will be at hand. The show
down cannot long be delayed If the
General Pact fer Remuneration OF
war" is net. within three years of Its
consunimat ton, 30 become a scrap OF
paper