The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1952-09-16
Soviet Gives
Railway To
Red China

MOSCOW R-The Soviet Union
announced today that it is handing
back control of Manchuria's vital
Changchun Railway to Communist
China this year but that Russia
will continue to use the Manchur-
ian naval base of Port Arthur
100 miles west of Korea-urtil
Japan signs a peace treaty with
the Communists.
The new agreement, announced
here by the Soviet news agency
TaSS, came at the conclusion of
top-level Soviet Chinese talks
which have been going on here
since Aug. II.
The lass announcement included
three important points:
l. The new agreement on Port
Arthur, which was occupied by
Soviet forces at the end of World
War II. Under the 30-year Russian
chinese treaty of friendship signed
in Moscow on Feb. IA, 1850, the
Soviets agreed to get out of Port
Arthur by the end of 1852. In a
note published today Red China's
Premier and Foreign Minister
Chou En-lai asked the Soviets to
stay because in the absence of
the japanese peace treaty with
the Communist Powers, "condi-
tons have arisen dangerous for
peace and favorable for a reitera-
ton of Japanese aggression"
2. A communique said that
important political and economic
questions concerning the relations"
between the two countries were
discussed. Details were not given.
Under the 1850 pact, Russia grant
ed China 300 million dollars in
credits toward the purchase of
materials and equipment from the
Soviet Union. Western observers
had suggested that China probably
was asking for additional aid be-
cause Of expenses in the Korean
War.
3. Return of the Changchun
Railway by the end of 1852, as
provided in the 1850 agreement. A
separate communique said the
railway would be returned to full
Chinese administration by the end
of this year, without any Russian
payment of compensation for its
use. A mixed Soviet Chinese COM
mission will handle details of the
hand-over.
There was no reference to the
port and rail center of Darien, Is
miles east of Port Arthur. The 1850
treaty provided that the future of
this city (and presumably of Rus
sia's rigts there) would be con-
Sidered after the signing of a
japanese Peace Treaty. The lack
of any mention of Darien appar-
emily means the two nations are
standing pat on this understanding.
The city, meanwhile, has been
under Chinese administration.
The cimmunique said the nego-
tiations had been conducted by
Prime Minister Stain, Foreign
Minister Andrea J.. Vishinsky and
Trade Minister P. N. Kumykin for
the SovietS. The Chinese negotia-
Deputy Premier Chen Yung, Ii
Fu-chun, vice chairman of Pei
Chang Wen-tien, Chinese ambassa-
dor to Moscow, and Su Yui, depu-
ty chief of the Chinese general
staff.
The Changchun Railway is the
shortest rail route from Central
Siberia to the Russian port of
Vladivostok, and extends south to
Darien and Port Arthur on the
strategic southernmost tip of Man
churia.
A branch line extends from Muk-
den down to Aptung, on the border
Korea.
Under the 1945 treaty with the
Chinese government of Chang Kai-
Shek the lines were to be under
joint Russian-Chinese ownership
and operation for 80 years. after
which they were to revert to China
without compensation.
In the 1850 agreement with the
Red Chinese regime, the Russians
promised TO transfer all ownership
in the railway and all admins
tration to the Peiping government
in 1852.
The new Soviet Chinese agree.
ment on Port Arthur was covered
in two noteS-Chou'S request that
the Russians stay on. and he
Soviet acceptance Of this request.
NlShlnsky signed the latter.
All public announcements have
stressed the negotiations we're con
Quoted in an atmosphere Of cordi-
alIty Stain gave great banquet
in the kremlin last night TO cele-
brate the end Of the talks. he
ft~-s