Evening star., 1938-08-11
Russo.Japanese Truce.

The world breathes easier today for
the armlstice reached between Russia
and Japan yesterday at Moscow in their
armed hostilities along the southern
border Of Siberia, but 1t hopes, too, that
nothing will occur to spoil the truce.
The agreement to submit the issues in
the border dispute to settlement by a
commission composed of two Russian,
one Japanese and one Manchukuoan
representatives provided that the fight
Ing forces should retain their positions
as held when fighting ceases. There
has been no large scale invasion of
either Siberian or Manchukuoan ter
ritory. although the Soviet communique
on the brisk engagement yesterday re-
vealed that Japanese hold a sector about
$50 feet deep In Soviet territory, while
Russian troops hold salient extending
nearly 1000 feet into Manchukuoan ter
ritory. Latest word also was that the
Japanese still hold the crest of Changku-
feng Hill, center of all the fighting,
while Russians were intrenched part
way up its slope.
The armistice was the result of mutual
concession, the japanese first yielding
to the Russian demand that the
boundary commission be composed Of
equal Japanese and Russian representa-
tives, the Russians then bowling to the
Japanese insistence that the disputed
treaty Of Hunchun and its purported
map showing Changkufeng within ST.
berian territory, be submitted to the
commission for its use. Thus Foreign
Commissar Litvinoff relaxed his demand
that any armistice be concluded only on
withdrawal OF japanese troops beyond
the boundary line shown In the Hun
chun map.
Barring an outburst Of patriotic fervor
by the leaders Of the Japanese Kwantung
Army by refusing to abide by the order
to cease hostilities the Russo-Japanese
incident should be well on its way to
settlement.
It Is not to be assumed, however, that
after the brisk exchanges of the last
few days the Japanese high command is
going to shift many troops out of the
Manchukuoan area as long as the work
Of the joint commission is incomplete,
for this is not arbitration and dissatis-
faction by the Russians with the re-
suits of the redemarcation of the border
might lead again to hostilities. So that
Russia's purpose in showing her strength
In the Far East-namely, to draw some
Of Japan's forces away from the Chinese
war-may still be achieved.
The effect Of the prolonged incident
with Russias demonstration of the ac-
curacy of her artillery and destructive
ness of her air force will not be lost
in Europe, and the forces for peaceful
settlement of the Czechoslovakian ques-
tion are certainly strengthened, for Ger
many has now had a demonstration of
what Russian military power can do
5000 miles away. Its power closer home
would certainly be greater. The Reich
may take the hint and not attempt to
invade Czechoslovakia so as to call into
operation the Russo-Czech mutual as
sistance treaty.
Thus Russia's fortnight demonstra-
ton Of armed strength in the swamps Of
the Tumen delta around a little hill of
doubtful value has served two purposes:
1mmobilized a portion of the japanese
Army as far as China is concerned, and
shown the Fascist powers of Europe
that despite the purge Russian aviators
and artillerymen can bomb and shoot
straight.