Celestial Relations

In Peking, Mr. C. T. Wang, Chinese Christian statesman, was commissioned to negotiate with a representative of Sovietland about full recognition by China of the Soviet Government and other questions. Wang failed. The reason for his failure is one of those diplomatic unmentionables.

On Friday an agreement had apparently been reached between Mr. Wang and M. Karaghan of Russia. The agreement was initialed by them. For some reason the Chinese Cabinet delayed its acceptance of the agreement. On Sunday, M. Karaghan rather undiplomatically told Mr. Wang that the agreement must be accepted within three days, or Russia would withdraw. On Wednesday, the Chinese Cabinet, ostensibly in a huff, told Mr. Karaghan to leave the country. On Thursday, M. Karaphan not having left, the President of China transferred the conduct of the negotiations from Mr. Wang to Dr. Wellington Koo. But the prospects for settlement were no better.

The central point of controversy is admitted to be the romantic and potentially superb Chinese Eastern Railway, which runs through Manchuria and Mongolia to Russia. A great part of it is now under absolute Soviet control. France, America and Japan are interested in the railway. The Russians say that negotiations broke down owing to the sinister interference of France, America and Japan. Certainly the Japanese expressed delight when they learned of Mr. Wang's failure.

On Monday, Dr. Koo took up the task. But on Tuesday M. Karaghen said that he would consider nothing but unconditional recognition. Meanwhile Russian troops were in Mongolia and were likely to remain there defending Mongolian independence from the Chinese Republic. But it was considered extremely unlikely that the Russians would advance into Manchuria, for that would precipitate Japanese action.