Lewes, UK: In a secretive meeting in this out-of-the-way town, British Foreign Secretary Arthur Henderson and Soviet Ambassador to Paris Valerian Dovgalevsky reach agreement on procedures for restoring diplomatic relations between their countries. If successful, it will mark the first full diplomatic relations between the countries in two years.
The trouble began in 1927, when a letter from Grigory Zinoviev, head of the Communist International (Comintern) was found in a British trading house, which called for communist agitation in Great Britain. The Conservative British government in power at the time accused the soviets of propagandizing in England (a charge the soviets denied, claiming they had no control over the Comintern), and broke off relations. When a Labor government came to power earlier this year, interest in restoring relations renewed. A sticking point, however, was that Great Britain wanted to negotiate solutions to the countries’ differences before exchanging ambassadors, whereas the Soviet Union wanted to exchange ambassadors first.
So while the Labor Party holds a gathering at nearby Brighton, Dovgalevsky calls on Henderson, and the two drive here to get away from the hoopla and discuss terms. Henderson agrees to the exchange of ambassadors, supposedly receiving in return a pledge that the Soviet Union will not propagandize in Britain. This procedure will have to be approved by both countries, of course, but Henderson feels sure the Labor-controlled parliament will do so.
Manzhouli, Manchuria: Forces of the Soviet Union are reported to be carrying out attacks around this town in extreme northwestern Manchuria on the border with Russia, the entry point of the Chinese Eastern Railway. The railroad runs through Manchuria but connects two points in Russia – the town of Chita in the west, and the port city of Vladivostok in the east. Built by Russia in 1902 as a concession, the railroad by treaty is supposed to remain under the sole control of Russians. Over the summer, however, Manchurian authorities began expelling soviet railway workers, reportedly out of fear they would spread communist propaganda. A series of skirmishes ensued between soviet troops on one side of the border, and Manchurian forces on the other. This attack, which breaks an extended quiet spell in the still-unresolved conflict, reportedly includes bombing runs by soviet warplanes.
The trouble began in 1927, when a letter from Grigory Zinoviev, head of the Communist International (Comintern) was found in a British trading house, which called for communist agitation in Great Britain. The Conservative British government in power at the time accused the soviets of propagandizing in England (a charge the soviets denied, claiming they had no control over the Comintern), and broke off relations. When a Labor government came to power earlier this year, interest in restoring relations renewed. A sticking point, however, was that Great Britain wanted to negotiate solutions to the countries’ differences before exchanging ambassadors, whereas the Soviet Union wanted to exchange ambassadors first.
So while the Labor Party holds a gathering at nearby Brighton, Dovgalevsky calls on Henderson, and the two drive here to get away from the hoopla and discuss terms. Henderson agrees to the exchange of ambassadors, supposedly receiving in return a pledge that the Soviet Union will not propagandize in Britain. This procedure will have to be approved by both countries, of course, but Henderson feels sure the Labor-controlled parliament will do so.
Manzhouli, Manchuria: Forces of the Soviet Union are reported to be carrying out attacks around this town in extreme northwestern Manchuria on the border with Russia, the entry point of the Chinese Eastern Railway. The railroad runs through Manchuria but connects two points in Russia – the town of Chita in the west, and the port city of Vladivostok in the east. Built by Russia in 1902 as a concession, the railroad by treaty is supposed to remain under the sole control of Russians. Over the summer, however, Manchurian authorities began expelling soviet railway workers, reportedly out of fear they would spread communist propaganda. A series of skirmishes ensued between soviet troops on one side of the border, and Manchurian forces on the other. This attack, which breaks an extended quiet spell in the still-unresolved conflict, reportedly includes bombing runs by soviet warplanes.
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