Peking, Sept. 4.
So that Mr. Karakhan's diplomatic task in Peking may not be too easy for him ithe Chinese are again circulating rumours of a decent upon the—Chinese Pastern Railway. It is reported here in White Russian circles that the results of Karakhan's conversation with Chang Tso-lin were not as satisfactory to cither side as cither sidy had anticipated. The new imperialistic policy of the Soviet which contemplates the consolidation of all the old Russian rights in China under the new regime has evidently been made clear to the Manchurian authorities in the course of conversations at Mukden. That the Soviet is working in line with other foreign Powers though not in collusion with them for the protection of the Chinese Eastern Railway's rights to the land concessions has apparently been made clear also and has considerably embittered the (Manchurian chiefs. In this particular instance they find it less easy than they anticipated to play Karakhan against. the Diplomatic Body. New stories of Red aggression are therefore issuing from Mand¢huria. Under the circumstances they must be taken with a grain of salt. It is said for instance that the Red authorities in Siberia have sent a proclamation into Manchuria to the effect that no Russian should recognize the Vashington Conference decisions with regard to the Chines Eastern Railway, that the Railway must be won back to Russia and that armies are being advanced for that purpose. This is not an impossible story hut it looks suspiciously like a Chinese effort to play the Diplomatic Body against. Karakhan.
It is also reported that_on. the Kirin and Heilungkiang frontiers seven or eight ' thousand Red troops have been massed at such places as (Chinese rendering) Abagatu. Kuerhsutsi, Baerhhu, Tawuli, Chimengho, Hanitang et cetera, and that in these districts Chinese merchants have been roughly handled by way of demonstrating what the Reds think of the seizure of the land office in Harbin. Another report says that 50 or 60 Chinese merchants have been killed on the frontiers. This looks suspiciously like a Man-¢hurian attempt to make Karakhan's diplomatic progress in Peking difficult.
There ave many astute observers of Russo-Chinese affairs who are
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.