Evening star., 1925-07-25
SOV|ET|SM LOSING
|. GROUND IN EUROPE
Chinese Crisis Hastens Slump
of Communist Policies in
Western Part.
BY WILLIAM RUFUS SCOTT.

LONDON, July 7.-Sovietism has
last immense ground in western Eu-
rope recently, and stands to lose much,
II not all, the gains made toward rec
ognition-in the form of trade agree
ments or full diplomatic relations. The
Chinese crisis has accelerated this
slump, though it is not entirely the
cause.
Having failed in frontal attacks to
dislodge traditional regimes in other
European nations, Moscow turned to
the flank. Before this maneuver the
governmental and economic ideas en-
from Russia had attained suffi-
cient momentum in England and
France TO impel both nations into ex-
periments with Labor or Socialist
cabinets In Italy the pressure Of new
concepts produced the reaction under
Mussolint as a counter stroke.
The swing back to traditionalism
now is strong, taking form in Eng
land In the Baldwin Conservative
ministry and in France in a modifica-
tion of the Socialist policy in much
more important ways than the Social
lists themselves care to admit, though
nomlnally still retaining power. The
Moroccan crisis has done much to re-
vive the nationahstfc as opposed to
the class spirit in France, and had not
the Socialists hedged on their opposi-
ton to accepting the Riff challenge
they would have been dislodged COM
pletely from official control
Germany Free From Peril.
Germany today is farther from
Soviet influence than at any time since
the war. There never has been a
basis for thinking Germany intended
any real alliance with the Soviet, for
the reason that Germany still has a
wholesome fear of Russia should that
mighty nation ever become organized
fully for war. Germany, of course,
firted with Russia to annoy the allies.
Germany used the threat of an alli-
ance with Russia to try TO compel
concessions from the allies, particu-
larly France. But Germany. while
deriving all the trade advantages pos
SlbIe, never will assist Russia in any
thing like thoroughgoing military
preparations. An engine thus created
could as readily turn and smash Ger
many as any other nation, and more
readily since they are next-door neigh
borS.
The flank movement in China has
accomplished what Moscow hoped
that is TO say, has created antago-
nisms between China and England,
France and Japan. But it also has
alienated a large section of British
labor from Soviet sympathies since
many British workmen are thrown out
of work as a result of the Chinese boy
colt on British cotton and other man
ufactureS. England already is so hard
pressed industrially that a new wound
of this kind gives the Baldwin minis
try additional courage to defy both the
communistic tendencies in England
and the activities of Moscow.
Americans in Pit
From this location it seems likely
that many Americans have fallen into
the Soviet pit. The obvious exception
the Chinese have made to Americans
in their attacks on foreigners in China
doubtless has some basis in the old
friendship between the Chinese and
Americans and the fact that the United
States has less territorial rights than
England or Japan in China. But the
Soviet policy Of adding fuel to the
flames by playing off the United States
against the other powers also is mani
fest, and the peril to America lies in
the assumption that the Soviet feels
more kindly to the Americans than to
the other powers.
Gen. Leonard Wood probably could
tell some tales of communistic propa-
ganda and plots thwarted in the Phil
aspect to Soviet feelings. The recent
Kellogg warning to Mexico was di-
rectly aimed at communistic move
mentS which confscate property with
out compensation. There are radical
activities within the United States of
a similar nature, some directly in
spired by Russia, others just the re-
percussion of new ideas in American
mentalities. All of this proves that
the present Chinese situation is due
to strategy rather than to affection,
for if the Soviet sees any advantage
in manipulating China against the
United States the strings will be
pulled. Hence the need of a wary
policy by Washington in not allowing
the United States to be made a cats
paw in the crisis.
Moderation in the British-Japanese
reaction to Chinese assaults has been
dictated so far by a full realization of
the manipulation to which China is
being subjected. If you know that
some one is attacking you from false
and alien impulses, you can be more
restrained in meeting the blow. This
is not to discount the natural and
legitimate aspirations of the Chinese
but they will make the most progress
in those lines when the remainder of
the world is sure that their actions
are wholly prompted by their own
convictions-not suggested by another
nation which has it's own axes to
grind China will do we'll to dismiss
all alien military leaders and instruc-
tors and go it alone in its efforts to
complete sovereignty.
Tchitcherins bellicose intimation
that Britain was heading toward war
in resisting Soviet aims has not
aroused fear here. Rather, the events
in China nave at last convinced
enough of the British people that Mos
COW is impossible, as at present con-
stituted, to give the government assur-
ance in taking the bold position it has
taken. The raw fact has sunk in that
Russia is as definitely making war on
Great Britain in China and India as
if Russian troops were laundering at
the gates of London. Britishers are
dying in outlying possessions as the
result of Soviet intrigueS. That is
war under cover. England has
reached mood where it might as well
come into the open.
Pact Brought Nearer
The consummation of the security
pact is brought nearer as the result of
the western powers consolidation un-
der common resistance to SovietiSm.
Moscow takes the view that Germany
in entering such a pact will be lost in
any schemes that Moscow has for it's
own ACKNOWLEDGMENT, and Moscow is
working desperately to keep Germany
out of the pact, or at least to modify
it's terms vitality. But the present
trend Enthusiastically is for Germany to
enter, and President Coolidge's pro-
nouncement for some such agreement
is a powerful stimulus for German
participation.
And so Sovietism today stands more