Evening star., 1939-05-07

The departure OF Maxim NJ Litvinof
from his long-held post as chief of the
Soviet foreign Office caused reverbera-
tions throughout the diplomatic world
far more violent than ordinarily would
result from the resignation of foreign
minister.
That is because diplomats in Wash
ington and-according to reports-in Eu-
rope, too, regard the release" of the
rotund, sandy-haired Bolshevik states
man as indicating either a momentous
change in Russian foreign policy or an
equally momentous bluff. 1t is highly
significant that Litvinoff's departure
from the cabinet post he has held for
nearly a decade conceded with Great
without modification the Russian offer
of an all-inclusive military alliance
Did Stain remove Litvinoff-as no
informed person here doubts. despite
the. official announcement that he was
released at his own request-in orde,
to turn over the direction of foreign af-
fairs to Vyacheslav Molotoff, one of the
Bolshevik Inner circle" in preparation
for radical change in foreign policy
such as an attempted agreement with
Germany?
Or was the gesture bluff? Did Stain
believe that by discharging the man who.
for more than five years, has attempted
to build up series of alliances between
Russia and the Western European states.
he could frighten England and France
into accepting Russias terms because,
otherwise, they would fear being left to
face Germany alone?
Too Early to Judge.
1t is too early yet for dogmatic con-
clusions either way. Meanwhile, several
significant facts emerge from Litvinoff's
resignation.
The release" of Litvinoff ("liouida-
ton" Is too strong word at least vet,
completes the official death of the little
group of Polish-jewish intellectuals. all
close friends of Nicholai Lenin, Father
of the Revolution" who for many wears
dominated diplomatic and Journalistic
life in Moscow.
These men, in addition to Litvinoff.
included Karl Radek, for two decades
the Soviet Unions best-known journal
ist and frequent adviser to the govern
ment on foreign affairs; Paul Mikhailskv
chief editorial writer for Izvestia, the
government newspaper, and unoficiaI
advance man" for Litvinoff when ne
came to Washington in 1888, and, finally.
Jacob Doletzsky, chief, for many wears
OF the telegraph agency of the Soviet
Union CTass), the official and only So
Wet press service.
Oddly enough, these four men, more
influential than any others in moulding
both Soviet and foreign opinion of joseph
Stain and his regime, were never in the
real Inner circle" which directs it. Thev
were influential because of their posi-
tions, but they were never fully trusted
by Stain, despite the fact that all of
them had been lifelong Bolsheviks and
prominent in revolutionary circles at q
time when the Iron Man. himself was
scarcely known.
the reason for this is not so strange
as 1t might seem. None of them lived
IN the same mental world with Stain.
They were-Litvinof less than the other
three-men OF broad education. All had
lived Tor many years in Western Europe.
Until 1913 they spent most of their time
abroad, political exiles from Russia.
They thought, through long years of
foreign contacts, in terms of interna-
tional proletarian revolution more than
IN nationaistic Russian terms.
Stain is a Georgian His mental
orientation is toward the east rather
than the west. Although a wide reader.
ne has little formal education. Save for
one brief trip he has never been out Of
RUSSIA He speaks no foreign language.