Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1938-08-11
International
News Review
BY GEORG sTRANDvOLD

During the last few days import
ant conversations have been in pro-
gress in Moscow between Soviet For
eign Commissar Maxim Litvinov and
Japanese Ambassador Mamoru Shi-
gemitsu-and most of them have con-
cerned a map dated June %, 1886.
On that map the Changkufeng hill
and immediate vicinity are shown
situated on the Russian side of the
border line between Siberia and what
was then Chinese Manchuria.
Siberia is still Russian territory,
but Manchuria has, by conquest, be-
come Manchukuo, japanese pro-
tectorate, and the japanese insist
that Changkufeng is on their side of
the border. Litvinov showed Shige-
mitsu the map attached to treaty of
the aforementioned date, but the
Japanese ambassador said that his
government didn't know that map,
consequently could not recognize it
as authority.
The map is the hub. For days Rus
sian and japanese soldiers have been
fighting for the possession of Chang
kufeng, with, it seems, varying sue
cess, and while the generals fight,
the diplomats mouth hopes of peace.
Neither Moscow nor Tokyo wants a
war; neither Moscow nor Tokyo wants
to be the first to back down.
Soviet Demands.
Japan a few days ago made an
overture of peace; would the Sow
let government negotiate? Indeed
Soviet Russia was more than willing,
but-Japan must agree to cease fight
ing at once; must remove all her ar
tillery from Changkufeng; must
evacuate all her soldiers, and must
recognize the treaty and the map
of June 26, 1886. Would Japan do
that?
Japan would not. While the Sow
lets insisted that the Changkufeng
trouble had been started by Japan,
the Tokyo government maintained
that the Soviets had started the con-
flict, and for that reason the first
evacuation of troops to take place
must be initiated by the Soviets. The
whole thing, in short, reminded one
of scrap between stubborn, naughty
urchins of the street, for nobody
would yield.
Changkufeng isn't so very import
ant; what is important, is national
prestige. So diplomats go on talk
ing about it, and soldiers continue
fighting.
Danger of Real War?
Alarmists fear that this collection
along vaguely defined border line
may develop into major warfare, but
that is not Immediately likely, for it
is true, as they aver in Moscow and
Tokyo-they don't want war: Soviet
Russia realizes that at the moment
real trouble starts with Japan, Ger
many may all of a sudden become
too actively interested in changing
the European frontiers of Russia, and
to prevent such an attempt vast
masses of troops are necessary-in
Europe; not so very many-propor-
tionately speaking-can be spared for
East Asia. And as for Japan-well,
the japanese armies have all they
can do handling China and will hard
ly be able to take on any more enc
mics.
March to HankOW.
Things aren't going any too good
for the japanese in China; their
march toward Hankow, provisional
capital of the invaded country, is
beset with dire difficulties, and the
attackers are still about 10 miles
from the goal; two or three months
ago they were about 100 miles dis
tant, so progress is a good deal slow
er than the japanese general staff had
calculated.
Chinese guerilla warfare and mum
dations caused by Yangtze river
floods have joined forces to obstruct
japanese progress, and there is con-