Full-force Peace Offensive

Evening Star, Issue 23384, 29 September 1939, Page 7

Full-force Peace Offensive

MANOEUVRING FOR DIPLOMATIC POSITION

Fighting Hard to Make Terms With Russia

Grandiose Plan to Blockade England and France

Pr«n A«ocitiion—By TelDgrapfc—Copyright

LONDON, September 28 (Received September 29, at 11 a.m.)

The world again waits while M. Stalin holds court at the Kremlin, but this time realising that the outcome is certain profoundly to affect the course of the war and Europe’s future. What Herr von Bibbentrop is discussing is unknown, but it seems certain that once an agreement is reached Herr Hitler will launch a peace offensive with full force. The German view is that the war ended with the capitulation of Warsaw and that the onus is now on Britain and France to decide whether hostili* ties will be resumed on a greater scale.

The French Press voices the opinion that Herr Hitler will be forced to pay exceedingly dearly to obtain a final settlement with the Soviet regarding delimitation of the Polish frontier. The Russians are already advancing along the Vistula to a most advantageous frontier, but Herr Hitler is apparently resigned to accept this setback, provided he is enabled to manoeuvre a suitable diplomatic position from which to tackle the Democracies over the question of peace.

It is expected that Herr Hitler’s argument will be the same as that of Signor Mussolini, that the war has not yet begun on the Western Front, but there would be no question of restoring Poland or liberating Czeoho-Slovakia or Austria. ,Herr Hitler stands to lose great influence in the Baltic, for which reason he is fighting hard to limit his retreat before Bolshevist penetration.

Paris observers believe that Herr Hitler will try to get the shadow of Russia behind his peace offensive in an effort to induce Britain and France to agree to the disappearance of Poland under German-Soviet domination, secondly, a settlement of colonial issues, and thirdly, readjustment of commercial. and mercantile advantages for Russia “and Germany. Germany will then probably agree to peace for a number of years, but in the •vent of certain refusal Herr Hitler will regard himself at liberty to employ all his forces in the west. The Berlin correspondent of the Copenhagen newspaper »Nationaltidende ’ says that Wilhelmstrasse circles are talking of the creation of a blockade-proof *' lebensraum,’’ with Berlin and Moscow the dominating centres, but embracing Italy and the intermediate States from the Balkans to the Baltic. The purpose of this bloc would be to blockade England and France at the appropriate time if “ they did not listen to reason. - The opinion is expressed that circumstances would compel Turkey and Japan to join in. The newspaper adds that this grandiose plan aims at reducing England and France to the status of border States, which would be forced on them. It is certain that Herr von Ribbentrop is proposing some such project to Moscow.

Tha Moscow correspondent of the British United Press says Herr von Eibbentrop resumed the talks at the Kremlin in the afternoon. They lasted 150 minutes. It is hinted that Herr von Eibbentrop is not having altogether a smooth passage. It is reported that Eussia seeks to hold the balance of power as between Europe and Asia and seeks' to remove the vulnerability of , Leningrad by extending her control of the Gulf of Finland. The Moscow correspondent of the ‘ New York Tunes states that a well-informed Embassy official familiar with the Kremlin view, is most positive that Herr von Eibbentrop s visit does not mark any triumph for Germany, but a new stage in gradually developing difficulties. The first of these is Russia's secret mobilisation, for which Germany sought an explanation in vain. The second stage is Eussia’s suspected pressure to force Germany to agree to an advanced Soviet demarcation line in Poland, cutting off Germany from contact with Eumania, depriving Germany of the Galician oilfields and eventually exposing German Poland to Communist penetration by propaganda, The third stage is the Bussian-Turkish negotiations which, it is believed, will end with the Soviet replacing Germany as the dominant power in the Balkans, It is believed that the Russian plans concerning Turkey and the Balkans were advanced before Germany was informed concerning them, upon which Germany demanded that Herr von Eibbentrop be invited to Moscow the arrangement was completed. Similarly, the Soviet’s ominous attitude towards Estonia is held to presage loss of German influence in Estonia, which will become a Soviet protectorate.

None of these diplomatic set-backs is considered to preclude Herr von Eibbentrop from securing impressive paper agreements, both for supplies from Eussia and from the Balkans, and for Poland’s future.

On the contrary other well-informed circles consider Herr von Eibbentrop’s visit as further consolidation of Russian-Ger-man co-operation, and the revelation of another stage of this as a preliminary to the disclosure of a full military pact. RussianGerman partition of eastern and south-eastern Europe is expected as the result. The Baltic states are likely to be divided with spheres of influence, Eussia receiving the major share and a Polish buffer state being established, Russia contributing part of the territory allotted her. Germany would be allotted Hungary and most of Eumania, Russia controlling Bessarabia. Rumania’s Black Sea coast, and Bulgaria, at least economically. The Embassy view that the visit is not a triumph is supported by the Berlin correspondent of the United Press who reports that Eussia’s increasing interest in the Balkans is engendering anxiety at the possibility of a Russian-pan-Slavic movement.

Informed quarters believe tbat Herr von Hibbentrop s conversations cover the Soviet’s awakening interest in the Balkans, which hitherto have been regarded as exclusively Italian and German concern. The inclusion of the Danzig leader. Hen Foerster, in the delegation is believed to indicate economic discussions. It is pointed out that the Polish demarcation has given Russia the Vistula and an outlet to the Baltie 4 ?