DISTRUST OF GERMANY

Evening Star, Issue 23375, 19 September 1939, Page 5

DISTRUST OF GERMANY

BRITISH REACTION PREMIER MAKING STATEMENT TO-MORROW LONDON, September 18. (Received September 19, at 8 a.m.) Mr Chamberlain will make a declaration in the House of Commons on Russia’s invasion of Poland on September 20. REASON FOR RUSSIAN MOVE DOES NOT WANT NAZIS OH SOVIET BORDERNEW YORK, September 17. The Moscow correspondent of the New York ‘ Times ’ says: “It is not necessary for Russia to swell her army by 1,500,000 reservists merely to seize the Polish Ukraine. The belief that Germany was uncomfortably surprised by the Russian mobilisation does not square with the theory that everything was arranged during Herr von Ribbentrop’s visit to Moscow. Russia felt free to move only after the conclusion of an armistice with Japan, The move was inspired by complete distrust of Germany and fear of complications should the Nazis reach the Soviet border. The sooner the Polish tragedy is ended the sooner the Nazis will be transferred to the west and cease to be a menace. The Soviet invasion has not succeeded in shaking the feeling that two cardinal factors are unchanged the desire to avoid participation in a major conflict and fear and distrust of Germany.” ROAD OPEN FOR COMMUNISM RUSSIA STILL INTERESTED IN JAPAN MOSCOW, September 17. The Moscow radio, referring to the invasion of Poland, said: “ The road will be open for a world-wide triumph for the Communist creed, the spread of which was arrested by Pilsudski at the gates of Warsaw in 1920 and by the Polish Fascist State in subsequent years.” The radio added that the relations between the Soviet and Japan are far from being satisfactorily settled, as Japan insisted that she was settling alone the China incident, in which the Soviet is vitally interested. Russia would continue to support China’s struggle for the preservation of her independence.” “ FLAGRANT ACT OF AGGRESSION " STATEMENT BY POLISH AMBASSADOR IN AMERICA WASHINGTON, September 18. (Received September 19, at 8 a.m.) The Polish Ambassador (M. Potocki) informed the State Department that the Soviet had committed a flagrant act of aggression against Poland. THE POPE HORRIFIED BITTER BLOW TO HOPES AND PLANS NEW YORK. September 17. The Vatican City correspondent of the New York ‘ Times ’ says that the Russian invasion dismayed the Holy See. The Pope said that he was horrified. Nevertheless, there is no reason to believe at present that he will abandon his attitude of strict neutrality, at least towards Germany. He feels that he can help the church and humanity best by remaining aloof from the political aspects of the war, but the Russian action is ttie bitterest blow to his hopes and plans.