SOVIET POLICY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 September 1939, Page 5

SOVIET POLICY

DEFENCE OF THE PACT ; WITH GERMANY EXPLANATION BY FOREIGN COMMISSAR. LEADERS OF DEMOCRACIES CRITICISED. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. LONDON, September 1. The Associated Press of Great Bri.tain says that in asking the supreme parliament to ratify the Russo-German Pact M Molotov declared that in order more. fully to understand the pact it was necessary to explain that the difficulties in the negotiations between England and France and the Soviet had proved insurmountable. A mutual aid pact with Britain and France was significant only if military co-operation were possible, but the negotiations at the staff talks proved that not only did Poland refuse Soviet aid but also that Britain and France, far from objecting to the Polish stand, supported it. Britain sent minor officials to negotiate and the military mission did not possess rights or even a mandate, thus .dooming the negotiations. Furthermore,, Britain insisted on a clause about indirect aggression, enabling Britain and France to wriggle out of obligations to the Soviet. This was tantamount to bluff. The British and French attitude was based on contradictions, because on the one hand they were afraid of aggression and desired a pact with the Soviet in order to augment their strength, and on the other hand they were afraid of strengthening the Soviet Union. This fear finally prevailed. Not till after the Russians were convinced that the negotiations were doomed did they turn to Germany. He emphasised that the Russo-German Pact was a far cry from the mutual aid pact the Soviet wanted with Britain and France. He claimed that Germany abandoned her anti-Soviet policy and offered thq most favourable trade treaty ever made and at a time when others “plotted to involve us in war.” He criticised the British and French leaders, who. he declared, insisted on the the Soviet siding with them against Germany, forgetting it was not necessary for the Soviet to become involved in a war,either way. “If these gentlemen feel such a strong desire to fight, let them fight without us. We will see what soldiers they make. They are enemies of peace. They seek to break our relations with Germany.” He added that the Soviet Union was not relying on anything but her own strength and concluded by stressing Russia’s growing importance in international affairs. “The pact proves that all attempts to solve European problems without Soviet participation are doomed to failure,” he added. ITALY NEUTRAL DECLARATION IN ROME. (Received This Day, 9.40 a.m.) ROME, September 1. ITALY HAS DECLARED HER NEUTRALITY.