A MATTER OF POLICY

Chronicle (Levin), 7 February 1948, Page 5

A MATTER OF POLICY

, (N.Z.P.A.-

-Reuter.

Publication Of Important War Documents . a

Copyright)

Received Fridav, 7 p.m. LONDON, Feb. 6. It is not often Mr Churchill and Mr Bevin cross swords in the Commons but they did so tliis week. It was over Mi Churchill 's roquest for the publication of the docunients eonnet-ted with the conclusi.on of the Russo-German. pact on August 23, 1939 and the subsequent period of Russo-German collaboration. These fell into Atuerican hands at the en'd of the war. Though they were deliborately wit'iheld from publication L prevent increased tension between Russia and the Western Allies, they were recently released by the Htate Depart ment in Watlington. .\Ir Bevin admitted tliat Ihe British Governinent was consideriug siniilar separate British publication but added that he coubl not be " rushed in" be cause of the Atuerican publication. Ile agreed, however, to give Mr Churchill a •more delinite answer within a few weeks.

When Mr Churchill ' reinarked tliat tliere was tio reason why America should liave a mass of essential materials which was denied the British llouse of Commons. Mr Bevin replied tliat he was not eonvinced the Ameri can way was the wisesl in dealing with the problem. Ile couhl not alford to-t.-ike a step impetuously because somebody else liad done it, adding: "Aftei all, whatever liappened in 1939 and 1941, I have got to study what is likelv to happen froin 1917 and 1948." The (locumejits, jts publislied in America, show that the Russo-German jiact was signed at the very^time the Anglo-Frencli mission was in Moscow and also that. on the night of August 113-24, wlien Ribbeutrop pointed oilt tli.-it " Liigland was weuk and wanted to let olhers light for its [iresumptuous cliiim to world doniination, " tlien "llerr Slalin eagerly concurred, " observing: "The British Army was weak and the British Navv no longer deserv ed its previous reputation. Engiand .- air ariu was being mcreased, to be sure but tliere was a laek of pilots. If EngJaiul dominatcs the world in spite of tliis, tliis would be due to Ihe stupid ity of other countiies tliat alway let themsel ves be bluffed. It was ridiculous, for example. that a few liundred British should doniinate India. " It is also indicaled tliat the eliinax of the Russo-German collaboration was reached with Mr. Moiotov's state visil to Berlin on Xoveinber 12, 1940. Rib bentrop explained to liim tliat now " no power on earth couhl alter the l'act tluu Lnglnnd was beaten and it was only -i (pieslion of time wlien she would Jinally ailmit her defeat.". He went on to say tliat the English had not yet uuaerstood this "because apparently there was some degree oi confitsion in Great Britain and because the country was led by a politiciah and military dilettante by the name oi Churchill who tliroughout his previous career, had completely failed at all de cisive moments and who would fail afeain this time. ' '

Uelalions bcgan to, cool wlien the Germau advance in the Balkans began to become a source of ajipreliension t • Russia. "Though everything possible was done to comiliate the Xazis and continue and even increasa deliveries oi' Gernian rei|uirements, relations eom tiuued to worsen. Fp to the last, how over, the Kreiulin disbelieved in Gernian attack and refused to huon wnrnings from .Mr. Churchill tliat oim was impending. The Russo-Germa i collaboration linally cnnie to an end wlien the Wehrmaclit was given titi order to jiroceed with "Operation Bttrbarosso ' '.