Evening star., 1934-12-23
Reported Offering to With.
draw Troops to Prevent
BIoodShed,
SOLDIERS SURROUNDED
IN HOSTILE TERRITORY
Stories of Trouble at Border Dis.
credited in Tokio-Capital Ad-
mits Farmers Have Entered.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
TOXIC, December 22.-Rengo (Jap-
anese News Agency dispatches from
Harbin tonight said Soviet authorities
were seeking to avert bloodshed after
Soviet infantry troops invaded Man.
choukuo from Siberia.
The troops, asserted to have crossed
the border near Tungning, so miles
south Of Suifenho, were surrounded
by Manchoukuan troops and Their
communications cut "in an effort tc
check their further military activi-
ties" the Rengo report said.
The dispatches said Soviet authori-
ties had asked Manchoukuo to allow
the Russian soldiers to retire with
their arms, and proposed an amicablt
settlement of the affair. This the
Manchoukuan government was re.
ported considering.
Farmers Cross Border.
While the foreign ONCE in Toxic
had no oficial report of the sffail
and indicated it did not credit the
report, it was admitted Soviet farmer,
recently entered Manchoukuo Tung.
ming vicinity.
The Rengo advices said the soldiers
after advancing into Manchoukuar
territory, began setting up military
equipment. What this equipment wa,
the dispatches did not specify, mol
was the number of troops indicated
A number of incidents along the
border between Asiatic Russia and
the new Japanese-sponsored kingdom
in Manchoukuo have served to keel
tension in the Far East high during
the last year.
As recently as October 1 the jap
anese military command In Manchou-
kuo reported to the Toxic government
it planned to protest to the Soviet an
exchange of rifle fire between Soviet
and Japanese troops several days be-
fore along the eastern border Of
Manchoukuo.
That border has long been in dis
pute, and the month before Man.
choukuo, in an official complaint tc
the Soviet consul general at Harbin
asserted Russians occupied an island
at the confluence of the Amur and
Ussuri Rivers which Manchoukuo
claimed for her own.
Rail Controversy.
Hopes that prevailing Russo
Japanese tension would diminish were
heightened after Toxic dispatches In
September reported the Soviet had
orrnnfad Toror'e affair ~ can cnn mr.
for the Chinese Eastern Railway In
Manchuria and afiliated railroad
properties.
Those hopes we're dashed in Novem-
Der, however, when the Tass (ofiicial
Russian) News Agency declared ne
gotiations for sale Of the properties
were still unsettled
A belligerent note was struck by tie
japanese army in its manifesto OF
October 2, which the war office ad-
mitted expressed the views of the
Japanese army" warned Japan tc
prepare for war with Russia.
While the government was reported
to be embarrassed by the proclams
ton, the LEADERS, of the army anc
navy nevertheless we're powerful
enough to secure passage shortly aft.
erward Of the largest military bulge
in Japan's history-$297, ,000, 900.
As though further to emphasize thu
army's intention to handle the Man.
choukuan situation without gloves
Gen. Jiro Minami, stern and strong.
wllled soldier, was formally installed
early this month as japanese Am.
bassador to Manchoukuo and com.
mander in chief Of japanese mill.
tary forces on the Asiatic mainland