HE Siberian crisis seems to Secretary of State, told the Washington, July 23. be subsiding, Mr. Cordell Hull, press today. The Secretary of State based his information on reports received by his Department. He further said that there was a strong impression that the dispute over Changkufeng between the Si evicts and Japanese would probably be localized.
Although saying thet an actual Russo-Japanese clash would endanger the tricky European situation, Sena-for Key Pittman, Democrat of Nevada and Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, believed that there would be no conflict unless serious complications regarding the border dispute set in.
"The present outlook is much brighter. he said. "There is every indication that England and France are closer allied than ever. It other Governments believe this, there will be no rash acts committed in Europe."
Meanwhile, political and diplomatic circles here regarded the activity in Siberia along the frontier as a preparatory move on the part of the Soviet Union to insure Russia's eastern defence in event she is summoned to aid Czechoslovakia—United Press, Tension is Reduced Tokyo, July 24.
The tensity of the situation on thp Soviet-Manchoukuo border is now xed, and the atmosphere, which for several days remained very tense, has now become quiet once again, according to Japanese reports, The latest report regarding the frontier situation declares that a notification has been received from the Soviet Authorities, stating that the two messengers who were dispatched by the Japanese author ties on July 18, with a note requesting the withdrawal of the Soviet troops from the Changkufeng area, would be serut back.
Evidently as a consequence of the hint given to the Japanese press by responsible quarters on July 22 to soft-pedal further developments of the incident, the press are playing down news from the border, and predict that the return of the two messengers may preclude an amicable settlement of the affair.—Reuter, Diplomats Confer Tokyo, July 23.
M. Constantin Smetanin, Soviet Charge d'Affaires here, visited the Japanese Foreign Office today and was understood to have discussed the general relations between the two countries over the border dispute, causing & belief that the incident would be adjusted in Moscow.
Meanwhile, the "Nichi Nichi" reported that the border situation was ged, although there was pra tically no activity there. The sound of occasional planes flying over the Siberian frontier disturbed an otherwise peaceful atmosphere, the Japanese newspaper said.—United Press, Another Protest Made Moscow, July 23.
The Soviet Union today protested to Japan against a demonstration it front of the Soviet Embassy in Tokyo this week in which a group of Japanese were alleged to have attempted to invade the building.
The Moscow Government simultane oonsly formally rejected Tokyo's demands that Soviet troops occupying the disputed Changkufeng sector between Siberia and Manchoukuo be evacuated immediately.
The Government news organ, "Iavestia," meanwhile contended that the Japanese Army in Manchoukuo was creating border incidents as a "smoke screen" to prevent the trans-for of additional Manchoukuo troops to Central China, The newspaper said Manchoukuo Army leaders were opposed to assisting "a failing Japanese conquest".
Dispatches from Khabarovsk reported that six Manchoukuo soldiers hed violated the Siberian border in two motorboats and landed on Fainoy Island, which is claimed by the Soviet Union. The party was said to have fired on a Soviet cutter. All six of the Menchoukuoans were goid to have been captured after a brief clash in which two Manchoukuoans were wounded. The reports said Soviet troops seized light arms and munitions from the Manchoukuo soldiers.—United Press.
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