The Far Eastern War Cloud The dispute between the Soviet
Government and what is in name Manchukuo,. but in fact Japan, over :the Chinese Eastern Railway drags on, becoming steadily more acute. Japan's real policy is as inscrutable as ever. The indications are that Tokyo intends that portion of the railway which runs through Manchukuo to pass out. of Russian hands, and it is difficult to suppose that Russia will let that happen without a fight. If a conflict should break out—aeroplanes are said to have been in action alfeady-China no doubt would seize her opportunity and try and strike north of the Great Wall again. But it is doubtful whether Russia is much more capable of fighting successfully in Eastern Asia than she was in 1904. It is eqUally uncertain' whether the effect of a war would be to whip up national patriotism in European Russia or whether the opportunity would be seized for the widespread, though latent, hostility to the government to blaze up.• It is not without significance that new prominence is being given to the purge of the Communist Party now in progress, its numbers being reduced thereby from over three million to some two million of the incontestably faithful. At the same time the institution of a rigorous internal passport system is fettering the movement of individuals everywhere. Much will depend on the coming harvest.
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