Of the very singular stories which have been published concerning the situation in the Far East there can hardly be one more astonishing than the Japanese version of the Mongolian invasion of Manchoukuo with troops and aeroplanes. The boundaries of Outer Mongolia run with those of Manchoukuo from west of the Hingan Mountains, to Lake Buir and thence almost to the Trans-Siberian railway in the neighbourhood of Borgia a distance as the crow flies of approximately 250 miles, About May 20, according to Japanese.reports, the only ones available, there appear to have commenced series of air clashes between Mongolian aircraft, of Soviet manufacture, and the air forces of the Japanese stationed in western Manchoukuo as the result of which it is claimed that no fewer than 59 Soviet planes were shot down, with only one Japanese machine being disabled. On Sunday last these incidents appear to have culminated with Outer Mongolian detachments invading Manchoukuo with tanks, artillery, and cavalry totalling about 1,300, supported by a large number of Soviet-built aeroplanes, in the vicinity of Lake Buir. According to Japanese reports, in the air duel which ensued, thirty of the invaders' machines were brought down in abáut fifteen minutes, while the land forces were allowed to penetrate into Manchoukuo, with a view to outflanking them, which manceuvre, it is alleged, was successfully carried out leading to the defeat -of the intruders. The cause of the struggle apparently is the desire of the Mongolian herdsman to avail themselves of the rich pasturage along the Holstai River which is infinitely preferable to the steppes of the Gobi desert as a place for the feeding of their cattle. In the light of that fact, which is admitted by the Japanese, the whole incident can be placed in its proper perspective as a foray by Mongols across an ill-defined border in search of better feeding places, and not an attack by Soviet Russia upon the Japanese forces patrolling the Manchoukuo border. It does not appear from the information available to rank as anything of the same political importance as the affair at Chang-kaifeng last year.
For that reason the stories concerning the use of tanks and the large air force of the Mongols which it is claimed met such dire defeat at the hands of the Japanese aviators will have to be accepted with all due caution, for the incident has occurred in a district where in the past the Mongols have not been consistently unsuccessful. That some sort of encounter did take place appears to be probable, but reports from third sources will be necessary before it is completely possible to obtain a clear idea of what has occurred. That the Soviet Government desires to become embroiled with Japan in such a manner is greatly to be doubted, especially as it is possible that they are on the verge of entering into commitments with regard to Europe which would make it wholly desirable for them that peace should be maintained in the Far East. The comment on the affair which has appeared in the Japanese Press shows that it is completely mystified by what has happened, and the conclusion reached by the "Nichi Nichi Shumbun" that the whole matter is designed by the Soviet as a gesture of ce-operation of Soviet Russia with Great Britain, France and the United States which showed such a united front at Kujangsu is too naive for words. The "Asahi Shimbun" considers the most plausible motive is that the move was designed to divert attention in Outer Mongolia from the "bloody purge" which it alleges has been carried out there by the Komintern. The fact of the matter seems to be that this incident is just one of the many which are continually occurring along the borders of Manchoukuo, and while in other areas the issue appears to have been more definitely drawn between the Soviet and the Japanese Government, the place where this latest incident has taken place, and the Mongolians involved suggests that it does not rank in importance with those which have occurred on the eastern borders of Manchoukuo.
It is to be expected, conditions being as they are along the Manchoukuo borders, that this summer will see repetitions of such affairs probably quite as numerous as those which have occurred in years past. They need nót at any time presage a war between Russia and Japan, firstly, because Japan has her hands full with her venture in China and would hesitate about embarking on a clash with Russia which would be of greater magnitude than her effort in China which has already exceeded her original plans, and, secondly, because it is not in the best interests of Russia that she should engage in hostilities in the Far East until her position in the west has been definitely decided upon, and strengthened. The Barga district which is the locale of this present conflict has witnessed many sifnilar affairs and the Mongols have not always been unsuccessful ín their clashes with the Manchoukuo troops. The Japanese should have no particular difficulty in straightening out the matter which it may be confidently expected will be maintained as a purely local incident so long as they do not seek to march into Outer Mongolia, in which event they would probably have io meet the resistance of the Mongolians themselves considerably stiffened by Russian assistance, for it is obvious that Moscow would regard with some anxiety the further outflanking of the Siberian position were Japan ever to succeed in bringing Outer Mongolia under its dominance. With a hostile Japan along the borders of Siberia from Manchuli to Lake Baikal a serious threat would be offered to Russian communications with the Three Maritime Provinces, and as long as there is no danger of this ever coming about, it may be regarded as unlikely that Russia would seek to enter into hostilities, which would probably be inevitable if Japan sought to improve its position in that area. Thus the parallel which it is being sought to establish between this latest incident and Chang-Kaofeng is to a very great degree a forced one. There the issue was one concerning a boundary in which Japan and Russia were closely concerned. In this latest affair the matter involves the somewhat uncertain wishes of the nomadic Mongols, and the determination of the Japanese to preserve the boundaries of Manchoukuo intact.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.