Evening star., 1938-08-01

StnCe 1891, UHeH !uWH CoH-
quered Mdnchurid. Japan and
Russia hare frequently been at
odds. In 1897 ,Udr uas beliered
imminent as the result OF japanese
occupation OF some Amur Rtper
islands. On July II Russians oc-
ing it is n part OF Siberia. japanese
insist it is portion OF Manchukuo,
ooperned By japanese protection.
Py the Associated Press.
HSINKING, Manchukuo. Aug. l.
The japanese Army today announced
so Soviet warplanes inflicted slight
damage on railways in an afternoon
raid on Changkufeng and vicinity
in the disputed border region.
1t said four Soviet aircraft were
brought down on Korean territory
while one was believed down in Man.
chukuo after the raiders dropped near
ly 80 bombs.
The zone reported bombarded Is
near the junction of the borders of
japanese Korea, Manchukuo and Rus
sian Siberia. in the vicinity of Yuki
and Chinghsing, in extreme North
eastern Korea.
The announcement said the raid oc-
Cured between 1890 and $50 pm
(between 1890 pm Sunday night
and 80 am Monday. E. S. t..
1t added that Japanese used only
Anti-aircraft fire. as they were 90
near Tie border TO use defensive
planes.
"a. TOXIC announcement of the
same incident said japanese planes
were used to repel the reported
attack
Called Face-Saving Step.
Army circles said they took seri-
Gus view of the attack, but charged
the incident was only 'face-saving
step on the part of the Russians.
They said the Soviet forces were
seeking to counter the loss of Chang
kufeng Hill and other positions in the
area which japanese reported they
took yesterday. Japan and Manchou-
kuo claim the hill region is within
Manchoukuo while Soviet. Russia says
1t is in her territory.
Army circles said that except for
the bombing raid the border was quiet
today
If the Russians really meant busi-
ness" one official said, they would
have bombed the vital railway bridge
near Yuki. 1t was untouched in to-
days raid. which was concentrated on
minor railway bridges, and damage
was slight"
Guarded Phraseology.
There was no indication whether
there were any japanese casualties.
A Korean Army communique at
Toxic. as the others before it which
announced clash yesterday in which
japanese were stated to have wrested
Changkufeng Hill and other positions
from the Russians, was couched In
guarded phraseology.
Cautious statements, however, ap-
peared to give the impression a major
battle was developing in the disputed
area
In Moscow dispatches japanese
were reported to have been
strongly rebuffed" in clash on
the Siberian frontier zone They
were said to have sustained great
losses both of men and materials"
Only brief newspaper reports of the
incident were publishedJ
Reported Withdrawing.
A japanese army communique
which preceded the Korean army an
nouncement said that Russian troops
we're Withdrawing northward from
Changkufeng, on the Manchoukuo-
Siberian border. where a clash de-
scribed as terrible fight" took place
yesterday.
The report of the Russian with
drawal followed japanese assertion
that Soviet forces had been driven
from the disputed frontier territory
The communique said only about
800 Russian soldiers remained in the
Changkufeng area. II was assumed
on the basis of the previous report
that they were outside the territory
claimed by Japan.
Both the war Office and the foreign
,ffice declared Japan now was ready
to assume the defensive and had nc
Intention of advancing further
Prepa red for Defense.
we do not want Soviet territory -