June 1.
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 fics of approximately 250 miles. About May 20, according to Japanese reports, the only ones available, there appear to have commenced a 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 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, ju the vicinity of Lake Buir. According to Japanese reports, in the air duel which ensued, thirly of the invaders' machines: were Brought down in about fifteen minutes, while the land forces were allowed 10] penetrate into Manchoukuo, with a view to outflanking them, which manauvre, it is alleged, was successfully carried out Iead~ ing tothe defeat of the intruders, The cause of the strugisle apparently Is the desire of the Mongolian herdsman to avail them= selves 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 fof that fact, which is admitted by the Japanese, the whole incident can be placed its proper perspective as a foray by' Mongols across an ill-defined border 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 the use of tanks and the large ai fore of the Mongols which it is claimed met such at the hands of the Japanes 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 _unsuecessful. 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 on the verge of entering into com mitments with regard to Europe which would make it wholly desirable for peace should be maintained in The comment on the affair which' has "appeared in the Japanese Press shows! that it ix completely mystified by what has happened, and the conclusion reached by the "Nichi Nichi Shumbun™ that the whole!
designed by the Soviet as a Kes ture of ce-operation of Soviet Russia with, Great Britain, France and the United Star langstt is, too naive for words. The "Asahi but it is only a. shadow of its former Shimbun" considers the most plausible] from a political motive is that the move was designed 10] would be all very divert attention in Outer Mongolia from the leady purge" which it alleges has been ried out there by the Komintern, The! fact of the matter seems to be that this cident is just one of the many which are continually occurring along the borders of Manchoukuo, and while in other areas isto 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 Mongotians involved suggests that it does not rank. in importance with those which have occurred on the eastern borders of Manchouku is to be expected, conditions being as} they are along the Manchoukuo borders, that this summer will sce repetitions such altairs probably quite as numerous as} those which have occurred They need not at any time pres ing om a clash of greater magnitude:
which has not in the best should engage in hostilities in the until in the west has beet is the witnessed no particu straightening out the: matter be confidently expected will be maint ined a purely Local incident so. lone they in which ey bls meet the resistance of the Monyotians 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 bringing Outer Mongolia under its dominance. With a hostile J: n along the borders of Siberi from Manchuli to Lake Baikal a serious would be offered to Russian com-with the Three Maritime Pro-
Jong as there is no danger ever coming about, it may be rexarded as unlikely that Russia would seck {0 enter into hostilities, which would probably be inevitable if Japan sought to. im= prove its position in that area, Thus the ren this latest incident and Chang-kaifeng ix to a very great deyree a forced tone, There the issue was one concerning a boundary in which Japan and Russia were closely concerned. In this Intest 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.