Evening star., 1934-05-27

Continued From Third PageO
Poles are playing a clever double
edged game in the Baltic region. The
peach pact with Hitler still remains a
mystery, despite French Foreign Min
ister Barthou's visit to Warsaw and
PRAGUE and Polish Foreign Minister
Beck's trips to Moscow, Berlin and
Paris.4
Germany repeatedly has been re-
ported to have offered Poland a pact
Of non-aggreSSiOn OH the condition
that Warsaw agree not to protest at
German NaZi expansion in non-Polish
regions. Poland was to have a free
hand in the Ukraine and satisfactory
access to the sea. in return for an ad-
justment of the Corridor. Then
came the 10-year pact that caused
even the French and Italians concern.
Russia Urges Guarantee.
Soviet Russia Immediately coun-
tered-to ascertain II there really
were secret clauses-by suggesting
that Poland and Moscow join in a
mutual guarantee of the Baltic states.
Warsaw refused. Then the Russians
suggested the same thing to the Ger
mans. They also refused and flnally
both Berlin and Warsaw spurned a
tri-partite agreement which was 10
include Finland in its guarantee.
In oticially seeking to explain It's
position. the German foreign once
has issued the following memoire:
"On March % M. Litvino1. Soviet
commissar of foreign affairs, told the
German Ambassador at Moscow that
the Soviet government thought 1t de-
sirable to give concrete form to mu-
tual efforts to improve. German-So-
Wet relations. To this end he pro-
posed a protocol guaranteeing the in
and integrity OF the Baltic
states Germany, while welcoming
the Soviet desire positively to con-
tribute to the restoration Of mutual
confidence, found the method pro-
posed unsuitable. 1t found it re-
markable that M. LitvinOn should ap-
proach the German government with
q project which he had previously
placed before another government, his
action then having been publicly in
terpreted as an action against Ger
many. =" = Apart from that the
German government held it to lack
any foundation in. political realities.
1t -preSupposed that, in the absence OF
any contractural undertakings, the in
dependence and integrity of the Baltic
states might be threatened by one or
another of the proposed signatories.
The German government assumed
that no such threat might be expected
from Soviet Russia and could not al
low that such intentions should be
imputed to Germany"
Russia at Odds With Both.
Russia's move obviously was mott
waited by q desire to help the Kovno
government out of q tight place. On
bad terms with Poland because OF
wilma and. at odds with Germany be-
cause of the intriguing Of the Baltic
barons and the occupation OF Memel.
Lithuarlia, became jittery at the pros
pect of two powerful enemies on her
frontiers. Now that Moscow has
failed to- obtain the security pact,
WHICH -OpFlOuSiy Wdo Ah hSA 0"A 40
terest, too, the Lithuanians are seek
ing q little Baltic union" This idea
Is not new. The old, idea Of a Baltic
union included the incorporation OF
Poland and Finland In the group and
was aimed at both Russia and Ger
many. Or rather at the preservation
Of the independence Of the Baltic
states against possible encroachments
from their powerful neighbors.
Another development, which has
Just appeared, Is the demand by Po-
land that reconsideration Of "minori.
ties treaties" be placed upon he
sgends of the coming League As
sembly.
Poland is one Of the few countries
bound by the post Versailles pacts fol
the safeguarding of the rights OF mi
norities dislodged from their mother
country by the peace treaties. Since
Germany has thrown on the irritating
Inequalities" of Versailles the Poles
claim they will no longer be bound By
the agreements unlass the pacts On
4 =