Evening star., 1932-09-23
PEACE WITH JAPAN
HELD SOVIET GOAL
Virtual Recognition of Man.
chukuo Is Seen Here in
Appointment of ConsuIs.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

Ihe news OF Russia S decision TO ap-
point consuls in Manchukuo and grant
the usual exequator to Manchukuo con-
suls who have been appointed to Rus
Sia, IS considered in official circles in
Washington as de facto recognition
Of that new state. Such move on the
part of the Soviet government has
caused no surprise in the State Depart
ment because it had been expected for
the last few weeks.
OF course, Moscow maintains that
the appointment Of consuls does not
mean necessarily recognition. The
United States has consul general in
Harbin and consuls in other Manchukuo
cities. Yet nobody can say that this
country is prepared to recognize the
ManchUkuo state. 1t Is pointed out,
however. that the American consuls
have been in Manchuria long before the
japanese invasion and the creation OF
Manchukuo. But the granting Of an
exequator to citizen of nom
recognized nation. as Russia has done
recently to Manchukuo officials cannot
be interpreted in any other way, but
as a de facto recognition. The sending
of diplomatic representatives is expected
to follow shortly.
Fear Japanese Attack.
The action of Russia, while deplored
in certain official quarters, is quite un-
derstandable.
Russia has been living in q continual
fear Of a japanese attack, especially
during the last 10 months. Russia
realizes that her relations with Japan
are conflicting, and has found that the
Russian and American interests in the
Far East were parallel. Because of
this similarity Of interests, her repre-
sentatives abroad have been urging the
United States to adopt a common
policy, but they maintained that in or
der to make such policy effective 1t
would be necessary for the United
States to recognize the Soviet govern
ment. This request of the Russians has
been Systematically turned down by the
Government of this country, because
Russia was not willing to give the
necessary guarantees regarding Com
munist propaganda in America; at
least. she was not willing to go further
on the question of guarantees that she
had gone in with the other nations like
France, Great Britain and Germany.
The American Government demanded
a disavoWal OF the activities Of the
Third Internationale, with which or
ganization the Soviet government is
closely affiliated.
No Other Way Open.
As the Kellogg pact and the other
treaties guaranteeing the territorial in
tegrity of nations appeared lately not
sufficiently efficacious and the japanese
threat to Russia was increasing daily
Russia, it is said. could see no other
way out but to line up with Japan and
become the first important world ma
ton to recognize the Manchukuo state.
Lacking American support and seri-
ously menaced by strong and eficien.
Japanese army, there was no other way
out of the dilemma.
Parallel with this move the Soviet
and the japanese governments are now
discussing various trade agreements
which, while beneficial to both coun-
tries, will hurt to certain extent the
United States.
The news of an agreement between
Russia and Japan regarding the pull
chase Of oil from Baku Is not consld-
cred serious; it is believed to be mere
portant operations. These are said to
be the negotiations between the Japa-
nese government and the Russians re-
garding some further oil concessions on
Saghalien Island and the permission to
construct a pipe line from the north
eastern coast of that island to the port
of AleXandrovsk, situated on the west
coast of the Russian part Of the island.
If these negotiations are successful the
American oil industry stands to lose
about $40, 100000 a year.
The Saghalien Island is divided in
two--the northern part belongs to Rus
sia while the south is japanese. The
island contains huge oil fields. Since
1922 the japanese have obtained con-
cessions from the Russian government
to drill on the east coast OF the island
and have been very successful. Oil has
been found at $500 feet. The activity
on the east coast Of Saghalien can be
compared with that in Oklahoma some
Is years ago.
The japanese have built on the east
coast of the island two 6-inch pipe lines
which lead to the sea, from where the
japanese tankers take oil for the needs
of Japan. The oil fields have besn de-
veloped to such an extent during the
last few years that Japan expects to
extract no less than 100000 barrels
(about 100000 tons) in 1888. At the
present time while Japan is still pur-
chasing oil from abroad, and mainly
from the United States, it has stored in
specially built tanks some 100000 tons
in Sakaline for the needs of her navy.
Would BE Independent.
As the oil fields develop the japanese
intend to make themselves absolutely
independent of foreign markets. The
pipe lines on the east coast are not salts
factory for two reaspns-they are &C
cessible to the japanese tankers only for
four months year, because for the rest
CT the time the sea is frozen, and the
east coast might be vulnerable in the
case of conflict with any foreign
power.
For this reason the Japanese govern
ment is now endeavoring to obtain from
Russia the concession Of pipe line
from the eastern oil fields to the port
of Alexandrovsk, on the west coast of
the island, which is free of ice for
practically the whole year and Is In
vulnerable In casA of vAr