Evening star., 1937-08-03
JAPAN REJECTS
SOVIET PROTEST
Russian Press Charges Ef.
fort Was Made to Pro.
woke Conflict,
BACKGROUND

BACKGROUND
Japanese Chinese conflict nhich
has ragged since July was inspired
by Japan to seize Hopeh and Cha
mar Provinces as she seized Man.
chnr1a, Marking government claims.
during fighting in Tientsin the
Russian consulate nas ,crecked and
rotudote papers seized japanese
decidre raid Uds conducted by
Wh1te Russians, denying charge of
Sortet that they aided in anu uav.
BY the Associated Press
MOSCOW. August 3.-The news
paper 1zvestia. official organ OF the
Soviet government, today charged ia
pan with trying Ito provoke conflict
with the U. S. s. R. by any means" in
remuneration of the wrecking of the
RUSSIAN consulate at Tientsin.
The entire Soviet press blazed with
Indignation As Japan rejected de
termined" Russian protest against the
raid on the Russian consulate during
the fighting between Chinese and jap
anese for possession of the city.
lzvestia declared the attack on the
consulate by White Russians opposed
to the present Soviet regime was in
spired by the "insolent, cowardly ac-
ton of japanese militarists" and
charged it was made in revenge for the
failure of frequent attempts to raid
Soviet frontiers.
The White Guard provocateurs'
Japanese masters should know their
vile provocations toward the U. S. S. r.
will fail and not remain unchallenged."
thundered Pravda, organ Of the Com
munist party.
The Russian press expressed open
for China in the conflict
With Japan ever the rich North China
Provinces of Hopeh and Chahar.
1T IS not enough that the japanese
army is bombing Chinese cities. ex-
terminating a peaceful population and
occupying foreign territory" Pravda
asserted.
Provoking New Conflicts.
1T is using every occasion to t.v to
provoke new conflicts. The path of the
Japanese troops is strewn with bodies.
Passing through the burned Chinese
quarters they are strolling all over the
,ity like hungry wolves searching for
objects to attack"
The press also attacked the Japa-
1ese administration Of the Chinese
Eastern Railway and accused 1t OF
again withholding pensions due for
ner Soviet employees of the line.
The japanese Ambassador to Mos
cow, Mamoru Shigemitsu, told the
Russian Foreign ONCE last night that
1is government could not comply
With the Russian demands that the
,aiders be punished, property seized
oy them returned and compensation
paid for the damages.
Japan has no interest in troubles
the Russians" the Ambassa-
ior said, pointing out that the raid
vas executed by White Russians, and
denying that japanese intelligence
men had organized the attack.
Adds to Delicate Situation.
Verbal representations were made
o the japanese Embassy in Moscow,
while a formal protest was lodged
With the Japanese Government in
Toxic. Soviet officials described their
protest as determined" but gave
10 indication as to how far they
would carry their demands.
The incident added further strain
o the delicate relations which have
'xisted between the two governments
ince Russian and japanese troops
dashed in June over the islands in
he Amur River, northeastern frontier
# Manchukuo and Siberia.
Chinese circles declared that Russia
las been maintaining a strictly neu-
raj policy in the North China warfare
Is far as actual aid to China was
although the Soviet was
to the Chinese govern
nent.
The Tass (Russian) News Agency
n dispatch from Tentsin declared
hat white Russian guards executed
he raid as agents of the japanese
Intelligence service under a Japanese
taft officer, Maj. Taxi" .,
"A band Of white guards and JAP
lnese in civilian Clothes" Tass re-
ported. loaded the property Of the
On trucks and carried it of
(See RUSSIA, Page A-31