Evening star., 1934-09-09
What Will Russia Do?



delegates put together. To the con-
doughty Soviet spokesman proposed
100 per cent scrapping of military es-
tablishments.
The president Of the conference,
Arthur Henderson. gasped at such
effrontery. Other delegates pro-
tested. The Swiss, who had bitterly
opposed the participation of the
bolshevists, sat back with an "I-told-
you-so" attitude.
Blow That Killed Sparrow.
But this is disarmament confer
ence, isn't it?" Litvinoff asked inno-
Gently. His wife, Ivy Low Litvinoff,
daughter of a well-known British
journalist and writer herself, in an
article on the incident, wrote:
"A sparrow. chirping in a nearby
tree, perked its head and then
dropped. to the ground, stone dead.
1t was not used to hearing such revo-
lutionary talk around the League"
Then the Russians suggested
scrapping so per cent of existing
armaments and later 25 per cent
when that was refused. Finally
Litvinof came down to a 10 per cent
reduction, and when that proved un-
acceptable he asked sarcastically if
it was too much to expect that the
nations would agree to limit their
military establishments at the exist
ing levels.
Naturally, the Russians were sin
cere in their proposals. They stood
to gain everything by elimination of
armies. Few diSarmed reactionary
governments would be able to stand
long against the proletariat. Besides,
Russia, already established so far as
Communism is concerned, would be
able to develop without fear of out
side intervention on the part of capi-
talistically and imperialistically in
cnned states which might need her
immense supplies of raw materials.
Russians, at Geneva, are nothing
new. For eight years already they
| have participated in various League
activities-especially disarmament
and Litvinoff, Boris Stein, Lounat-
scharsky (now dead), Karl Radek and
other celebrated bolshevists are no
more curiosities in League corridors
than are the Americans, Norman
Davis, Minister Hugh Wilson and
others, who constantly attend League
economic and political conferences.
Soviet participation began, unofi-
cially, after American cooperation.
also unofficial, got under way. Since
they first came to Geneva, however,
their collaboration has been consist
ent and enthusiastic.
In the early days the evolution of
Russian League relations was some
what similar to that of Washington.
During the Harding administration
the State Department would not
touch the League with a 10-foot pole,
so frightened were the Department
bureaucrats of Senators Lodge, James
Reed and Hiram johnson. One day
Secretary of State Hughes entered an
office in the Western European Divi-
sion of the Department. He saw
pile of unopened letters on a desk and
inquired what they were. Those are
communications from the League and
we aren't having anything to do with
Geneva these days." explained a sub
ordinate. The Secretary of State is
reported to have hit the ceiling"
He ordered every letter opened and
answered.
"At least we can do that much"
was his comment.
Washington Participation.
In later years Washington has par
ticipated in League affairs-where
they concerned the United States
and were -political-to an extent
exceeded by few official members of
the League.
The Russians, however, from the
first, accepted League communica-
tions. They also answered each and
every one-in the most sarcastic way
Never did the vitrolic Georges
Tchitcherin (whom Litvinoff sue
ceeded overlook an opportunity to
show up the many Inconsistencies
which exist at Geneva. Litvinof has
been more subtle. He saw in Geneva
a good vehicle for Russian propa-
ganda-and has made the most of it,
That the bolshevists will continue
to put before the world their views
through the hundreds of newspaper
correspondents who gather at Ge-
neva-is foregone conclusion. Lit
vinoff especially is popular with news
paper men. He uses words Ito ex-
press his thoughts rather than to con-
ceal them," as so many other diplo-
mats-Sir John Simon, Louis Bar
thou, Baron Pompeii Aloisi, among
them-are inclined to do. When the
Russian delegates speak, to use hack
neyed phrase, they SAY a mouthful."
Litvinot at the same time can be ex-
pected to use discretion. He is one of
the cleverest diplomats in Europe to-
day and will not deliberately set out
to destroy an organization from which
the Russians have so much to gain.
1t will not be surprising if Moscow, in
stead Of seeking to weaken the cove
Mantle, water down it's obligations,
as Americans have often advocated
will try to make it a superstate, able
to regulate by force, If necessary, re-
lations among nations. That is the
theory of the French foreign office
and also is view held by the British
Labor party, the Spanish Republicans
and many neutral states.
That the admission of the Russians
will give a great impetus to the
Leagues prestige goes without saying.
The withdrawal of Japan and Ger
many hurt the League materially, but
it hurt Toxic and Berlin much more
morally. In fact, the League is the
stronger by their absence, in view of
the grounds upon which they with
drew. Admission of Russia will in
part compensate for their loss. Russia
will take a permanent seat at the
council table and will contribute more
toward the League financially than
did either of the two countries which
have left. With America in the inter-
national labor office and cooperating
more closely with the League than
ever before-largely as a result of
Japan's Manchurian escapade and
naval policy-it may be that brighter
days are ahead for Geneva.