Evening star., 1938-08-04
PEACE OF WORLD
UNDER NEW PERIL
Russian Aim Believed 10 Be
Diversion on Flank of
Japanese.
Nv DEWITT MACKENZIE,

By DEWITT MACKENZIE.
Associated Press Foreign Affairs Writer.
NEW YORK, Aug. 3.-The Russo
japanese fighting at the junction OF
the Siberian -Manchukuo7Kore bor-
derx is like the Orients famous bird
nest soup-considerable Of a mystery
into which one dislikes to inquire too
closely because Of the strong likelihood
Of discovering something unsavory.
Certainly the two combatants have
the entire outside world guessing as
to what underlies such sudden fierce
ness IN border dispute of long stand
ing. They undoubtedly have been
testing to discover each others fight
ing temper ian old custom IN that salty
area), but the matter now has gone
beyond an ordinary laboratory test.
The only thing we are dead sure OF
is that the situation endangers world
peace.
japanese Officials Optimistic.
Mai. Gen. Todah, japanese onicer
who has been in command OF the Man
chukuoan border patrol and Is now
en- route to Toxic, gave newspapermen
what purported to be an optimistic
view OF the situation. He said the
Soviet military operations may be re-
garded largely as an anti-Japanese
demonstration and therefore unlikely
to develop into a major conflict.
l. TOWING
prediction were the good general the
seventh son of a seventh son and well
established as a prophet. As 1t is,
about the best we can say Is that his
guess Gf it is a guess and not q red
herring), may be as good as that OF
any one else.
There are numerous possible reasons
for the border fighting, and it isn't dill
ficult to pick them out. The trouble
comes in trying to sift them down to
one logical explanation.
With Both Moscow and Toxic talk
ing to each other in no uncertain
language. we can dismiss the idea that
the present phase of the clash is
purely local affair The show is being
directed from the two capitals.
100000 Troops in Manchukuo.
Here is one bare possibility: The
Japanese have a half million OF their
crack troops in Manchukuo. They
would be q welcome aid to the jap
anese command down in China.
There have been suggestions that
there might be difference OF opinion
in Toxic military quarters as to
whether these troops should be moved
down from Manchukuo. It Is possible
(thoueh the writer isn't voting for
this idea) that those who favor keep
ing the army in Manchukuo are fos-
tering the border show with the idea
Of demonstrating the necessity OF re-
tanning the soldiers there.
A good many observers in the Far
East express the belief that Japan
and Germany are getting ready for
q Joint attack on Russia. II that
Is true 1t might explain the border
fighting.
Such q war has been openly talked
IN Berlin, Moscow and TOXIC and the
Soviet press long ago predicted its
approach. After admitting that this
il q possibility one must add that
It II hard to believe any one OF the
three want war ut this precise moment.
They have other projects on their
minds.
Another Possibility.
There is one possibility. however,
which seems rather more logical than
most of the others and might warrant
q small bet. This must assume. for
the sake of argument, something which
we do not know to be a fact-namely.
that the Soviet took the initiative
In the border scrap.
As I have indicated, the half million
crack troops and mountains OF equip
ment which the Japanese have IN
Manchukuo would be Of tremendous
(maybe vitaD assistance in China.
where the Nipponese have encountered
very sticky going indeed. The jap
anese drive along the Yangtze Valley
towards the provisional capital, Han
kow, has met with fierce resistance.
Every time the invaders capture q
square mile Of territory they must In
crease their fighting forces to police it.
The drain on manpower, war equip
ment and finances has been heavy.
Russia Is China's avowed friend and
has been helping the Celestials "un-
oficially" ever since the war started.
One Of the easiest ways for the Soviet
to aid China and hurt Japan would
h to create a diversion along the
Manchukuoan border to keep that
half-million troops from moving south
to fignt the Chinese.
That may be what is going on.