The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1938-08-04
we're CALLING
FASCIST BLUFF,
MOSCOW AYERS
Ready to Teach Japan
Terrible Lesson"
BY JAMES E. BROWN

BY JAMES E. BROWN
MOSCOW. Aug. 4 GN.SO.-So
Wet Russia is calling Fascism'S
bluff and stands ready to teach
Japan a terrible lesson" if "inva
sions" of Siberia continue, a high
Official told international News
Service today.
Yet. while the danger of war is
Every great" it is not inevitable, u
in the general view of Soviet of.
ficialdom Even at the eleventh
hour. authorities still feel there is
some slight hope left for arbitra,
ton of the Far Eastern conflict
UNLESS Japan ceases provok-
Ing the U. S. S. R.. the danger
Of war is very great" a govern
t1ent spokesman said.
RAPS AT BRITAIN
Russia wants peace. but if
we are invaded, we will teach
Japan a terrible lesson.
I'VE must act calmly. Every
one knows that a Russo.Japa-
neSe war can easily develop into
q world war but the Soviet
Union will never follow the pol
ley Of certain other nations in
making concessions to bloody
9ascist aggressorS."
The reference presumably was
10 the British.Italian pact.
we are strong! Now is the
moment to show our strength
before the toilers of the entire
world" the spokesman said.
1.-The Soviet Union is calling
the Fascist bluff"
PATRIOTISM AROUSED
While Russian leaders main
tanned their hopes for peace,
Soviet patriotism and anger at
the japanese remained at a high
pitch.
Thousands of resolutions from
workers organizations pledging
support against Japan are arriV-
ing here every hour.
Even the children at summer
camps are practicing rifle firing
and are promising "Comrade
Stain" according to the pioneer
pravda: I'VE will be ready to de-
fend our country"
Today's newspapers are silent
concerning the results Of yester
days fighting at Changkufene
hill. but the people continue eager
" buying editions and listening
to the radio, anticipating bulletin
announcements Of fresh Soviet
victories.
LESSON RECALLED
Ivan Papanin, leader of the ia.
nous North Polar expedition, and
now leading mouthpiece for the
government, warned:
The japanese seem to forget
the lesson given them in the
days of their intervention in the
Par East (after the BolShevik
revolution).
"A badly-equipped workers
and peasants army drove them
out then-but now our strong
red army will teach them more
convincing lesson"
In the meantime, the govern
ment is not forgetting that the
Far Eastern army needs amuSe-
ment. The entire cast of the Mos
COW Soviet theater has departed
for Pacific Siberia with Is train,
loads of scenery and other equip
ment.
NAVY is EAGER
Possibility that Russian naval
units may take part in hostilities
against Japan was seen today
when units of the red navy Serv
ing in the Amur River in Far
Eastern Siberian volunteered tt
continue with the colors beyond
their regular rehabilitation period
this coming autumn.
At the same time, as the war
fare along the Siberian-Manchu
kuoan border aroused the Soviet
population to a new pitch of ex
citement, scores of new resolutions
poured into Moscow pledging sup
port to the government in any
action against the japanese.
Collective farmers, tractor brig
AIDES and the feared Don Cossack
sent in the resolutions, which il
themselves comprised gray,
warning to Japan as they con
tinued to arrive in the Sovie