Experience has taught the Japa nese never to take anything the Rus-slang say at face value, Consequently, the apprehension felt in some quarters here that the Russians' might actually have been looking for trouble, was completely dispelled by' the time the last of the Soviet leaders was heard from. A government spokesman went as far as to intimate this himsett.
Tt is the opinion of Japanese experts on Russia' that the Soviets, having this winter sized up the situation and being convinced that Japan had no intention whatever of fighting tuntess attacked, utilized this opportunity for propaganda purposes, internally as well as externally. Such propaganda took the form of fiery speeches excusing some of the short comings of the first Five Year Plan to the need of hastening the building of armaments and in bracing up the flagging spirits of the Russian people, who the Japanese feel must have been Aisgusted atthe weakness and pas sive attitude' of their leaders during. the time Japan was separting Manchoukuo from China and insulting the USSR. Japanese officials declare that if the Russians mean war, shouting 1s the last thing they will ing through the Five Year Plan, might permit the Japanese to go as'far as! Trkustsk, they would yield not an inch more of ground. it apparently) gave the Russians a fright.
The sending of Soviet troops and planes to the Far East even at the expense of interrupting the Year Plan, was the result. Once these troops reached the Soviet-Manchoukuo border and faced the!
Japanese forces on the other side, the attention of the world was drawn to [the danger of the situation.. There }was increasing apprehension that war ]was inevitable. What the world did Met know was that neither the Soviets Jnor the Japanese had any intention assume the offense
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.