The Kennewick courier-reporter and the White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1938-1939, 1938-08-25
ECONOMIC H1GHL1GHTs

For a time it seemed that the
Russo-Japanese incident" on the
Siberian anchuckuo border might
mark the beginning Of the long
feared second World War" That
could have easily happened-as
every European observer knows.
Hitler would be almost certain to
invade the Ukraine If the Soviet be-
came engaged in major hostilities
on It's far Eastern frontier. AS re-
suit, the truce came as a welcome
surprise to a war-frightened world.
Thus, on the face of it, the Gin
cident" was of little significance. All
1t involved was territorial dispute,
concerning whether Japan or Rus
STA was the rightful owner of a
small area of little populated and
practically barren land. The Rus
slams claimed the area, using as
evidence old Esarist maps. Japan
disputed the accuracy of these maps
and hostilities followed. eliminating
military phase of the month-long
engagement, which claimed about
five thousand lives according to UNI
official reports, was Russian artil-
1ery barrage of the japanese po-
sitions which observers character
lied as the most severe seen in the
world since 1918.
II you go beyond the surface,
however, the incident takes on con-
siderably more Importance. It DEM
onstrated two things of great sig
nificance. First, the q. S. s. r. is
ready and willing to fight, when no
other solution seems present, and
at the same time is eager to con-
clude its disputes peacefully If it
can. Second, 1t demonstrated the
great military and economic weak
nesses Of the Son Of Heavens little
Empire.
AS one news commentator said,
the upshot Of the incident" was
sweeping military and diplomatic
defeat for Nippon. It is reliably re-
ported that high japanese officers
reported to their Emperor that they
lacked the supplies and men for
waging even brief war in the Man.
chuckuo- Siberian territory. The
Chinese aggression which Is drag
cling on month after month. has
made a mockery Of japanese ex-
pectations Of a quick and easy vic
tory-and has drained the empire
dry. AS consequence, the Japan
ese had the humilitating experience
Of submitting almost in their en-
tirety to Soviet Foreign Commissar
Litvinoff's terms of settlement. The
Japanese government--for the time
being at least-haS accepted the
Russian view of the dividing lines.
Official Japanese government state
ments attempt to cover this up-but
it is a fact, as reference to your at
las will demonstrate.
What does all this mean, so far
as the possibilities of peace and war
are concerned? It means that one
of Germany'S two allies, upon
whom Hitler must depend if his ex-
pansion policies are to bear fruit.
has her hands SO full of trouble
now that she is unwilling and un-.
able to take on any more. It means
that Russia, with her gigantic mil
itary machine and her irnplacable
hatred of the Nazis and Fascists,
still holds the balance of power in
Europe and Western Asia. 1t means
that at least one of the great anti
Fascist powers is prepared to meet
force with more force.
Looking elsewhere, there are 9TH
er signs to indicate that the designs
of the Fascists are far from mater
J1alizing. A few months ago it SEEM
ed that the fall of the Spanish gov.
eminent was imminent. Franco.
with his Italian troops and his Ger