"Those who are acquainted with M. Mikhail Slavutsky, U.S.S.R. Consul General in Harbin, will not be surprised to read of his promotion to be Soviet Ambassador to Tokyo. Practically all communities in Harbin are unanimous regarding the ability of M. Slavutsky, who, by this new promotion, reaches a senior diplomatic rank at a comparatively early age. The new Soviet Ambassador to Japan showed during the difficult years he served in Harbin a degree of tact in handling unfortunate incidents which reflected upon him the greatest possible credit and to the outside observer, no matter how much he may have disagreed with M. Slavutsky's political opinions, it was apparent that he was destined for greater things than the Consulate-General in Harbin, important as that position at times undoubtedly became, With the passage of the Chinese Eastern Railway into the hands of Manchoukuo and the return of large numbers of Soviet citizens to Russia, and for that matter Russians of a different political complexion as well, the importance of the Consulate-General in Harbin may be said considerably to have diminished, and from all the news despatches which emanate from that unfortunate northern city (it is clear that Russian interest in the place will become even smaller. It was not to be expected, therefore, that a man of ihe calibre of M. Slavutsky would be continued indefinitely in the post he is now about to vacate. His promotion to Tokyo may be taken as an indication of the intention of Moscow to avail themselves in the most appropriate quarter of the understanding which M, Slavutsky has acquired during his sojourn in Manchoukuo, und which, especially in times such as these, should make him peculiarly valuable in his new position,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.