Recent arrivals from Manchoukuo throw a fresh light on the arrest of nineteen foreigners. recently made by the government of that state' fon the charge of listening in to the foreign bbroadeasts. Apparently the situation along the Manchu-Soviet border is not as easy as Japanese reports would appear to indicate, for, there are large formations of Russian troops within striking distance of the frontier, and a considerable amount of tension exists. 'During the last fow weeks, according to these informants, there have been several Russian broad-easts io the White Russian inhabitants of Man-_ choukuo, many of whom have not been having' an easy time recently. The Soviet broadcasts promise that relief from the oppression, Under which the White Russians are supposed to be suffering will soon be coming. They Temind the White Russians that, no matter what their political convictions, they are Russians, fand the Soviets will not hold their former' freedom and going out with sword in hand to opposition to the communist regime against them. They are urged to endure for a short while yot, until the armies of Stalin can come and save' them from their servitude. If such broadcast talks are being received in Harbin and other cities in Manchoukuo where there is.
large Russian population, the recent Japanese ban on listening to foreign radio speeches can be easily understood. How much importance should be attached to such promises 1s, of course, a matter of opinion. It should not be forgotten that similar promises were made by the Soviets during the war against Poland which took place shortly after the success of the Red revolution, yet these promises were proved to be false after the war had been concluded. The fact remains, however, that a definite threat to Japanese domination of Manchuria underlies these broadcasts. What else could be meant by the pledge to relieve the White Russians from their servitude? How otherwise than by military action could the Soviets hope to relieve the sufferings of the White Russians, provided these sufferings exist? And why. should the Japanese ban listening in to these broadcasts unless they took the threats seriously?
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.