The times-news., 1936-01-28
SOVIET BUILDS
link TO EAST
Military Road to Vladivo-
sick VIII Also Aid In
dusfriaI Life
By JOSEPH r. BAIRD
United Press Staff Correspondent

MOSCOW. Jan. 2S. ,fUP)-
The Soviet Unions military de-
fenSe against Japan. rs well as its
industrial system in the Far East,
were vastly improved today by
the completion Of one and the
near completion of another vital
channel of communication.
1t was announced officially that
the modern, SG0-kilCmeter high
way between khabarovsk and
VladivoStok has been finished. As
a result passenger cars may trav-
el between the headquarters of
the Far Eastern army and Rus
Sia's principal Asiatic seaport
within Is hours, while motor
trucks, loaded with either goods
or soldiers, can cover the dis
tance in so hours.
At the same time it was learn
ed that the double-tracking of the
traus-Siberian railroad, long re-
garded as RuSsia's ''life-line" be-
tween East and West, virtually is
complete. Rails have been laid on
the last section from Karyms-
kaya to Bochkarevo and the Sec
ond road-bed is finished all the
way to Khabarovsk. Laying of
steel on this last section should
require only few months.
CALLED OUTSTANDING FEAT
The KhabarOvSk VladivoStok
highway is one of the most COM
plicated and important pieces of
road construction the Soviet gov
ernment ever attempted, its only
near rival being the Georgian mil
itary highway, connecting rifliS
with Ordjonikidze. The former,
however, penetrated even more
difficult terrain. To make Il level
highway 100000 cubic meters
of earth were eXcavated, 63
square miles of swamp-land. pre-
viously considered impossible,
were drained, and more than g
miles of bridges and tunnels were
needed.
Unlike most of the major con-
structiOn projects carried out un-
der the BolSheviks, the khabar-
oysk-yladivostok highway, ac-
cording to the Soviet press, was
built entirely with free labor. A
vast amount of modern road
building machinery was used. The
entire job was completed within
l8 months.
The road is of great economic
significance, for it removes a
large part of the freight traffic
from the oYer-bHrdened railroads
and river steamers. Also, it con-
meets with these two industrial
centers a large number of vii
lagos.
VITAL MILITARY LINK
Perhaps its chief Importance
though, is military. Khabarovsk is
the headquarters of the Far East,
ern army. Military experts long
have expected that in the event
of q Soviet-Japanese war, the
Japanese would select VladivostOl
as their first point of attack. The
+ new highway would aid Russia il
sending troops post-haste to it
! defense.
The second vital link in com
munications-the double-trackinG
of the trans-Siberian-was start
ed four years ago, but. under the
impetus of Japanese threats ha'
been speeded up during the las
eighteen months. There forcet
labor-some persons exiled fo
crime, but many for being social
ed "class-enemies"-was brough
into service.
Under strict military discipline
these workers have pressed for
ward day an dnight to complete
their task. A Soviet correspondent
who recently was allowed to visl
these labor camps-closed to for
eign journalists - reported tha
many of these people had becom'
inspired with a passion for con
Struction" and now could b'
termed true soldiers of labor.
Probably many of them will b.
pardoned and awarded full citi
zenship when they have finished
their jobs.