Evening star., 1939-07-23

AS was pointed out three months ago,
the Russian dictator was given by Hit
ler's representatives authentic proofs
that in December. 1888, and in January
OF this year the British urged Hitler to
expand eastward into the Ukraine and
leave France and Britain and their satel-
lites alone.
Stain waited patiently until his time
arrived to pay the British in kind. When
faced with the German menace the Brit
lsh appealed to Stain to join the stop
Hitler bloc, and he listened carefully.
Then he pulled out of his trick box a
request for the ultimate remuneration of
the Baltic states as preventive measure
against future German aggression, pos
slbly at the bidding of the British. And
when Molotov added that the status of
the Polish Ukraine and maybe Bessarabia
might have to enter into the picture after
Germany had been defeated the British
threw up their hands. They might have
continued to discuss the problem with
Stains minions but the Poles and the
Rumanians made it known to Paris and
London that they would rather fight
single-handed against the Germans than
have Russian troops in their territories
Big Must Swallow Little.
The second point of contact between
the axis and Moscow is that they both
believe Europe cannot continue in its
present shape of few large nations and
a number Of small independent countries.
Like Italy and Germany, the Russians
believe in the absorption of the minor
states which are geographically and
economically subordinated to the larger
powers. They don't believe in clinical
boundaries, despite the previous declara-
tions of Hitler, Mussolini and the father
of the U. S. S. r., Lenin.
Russia was the first to deny Lenin's
own preachings when in 1921 it forcibly
reannexed Georgia, country in the
Caucasus which is as different from the
rest OF Russia from the point of view Of
language, race and even the alphabet as
the Arabs are different from the British.
Hitler has proved by the conquest of
Bohemia and the protectorate over
Slovakia that the Fuehrer's theory of
Germany composed 100 per cent of Ger
mans is yesterdays propaganda. Musso-
hni never went on record as an advocate
OF state composed exclusively of Ital-
ians Whatever indication he had given
previously to that effect was denied by
the conquest of Albania.
Britain and France Balk.
Thus the theory of the large states
swallowing the smaller states is becoming
validated in Europe and is being spon-
sored by the three leading dictators,
Hitler, Mussolini and Stain. It is for
this reason that Stain has asked cold
bloodedly that the British and the French
give him the exclusive protection" Of the
Baltic states by Russian forces as price
for the Soviets joining the democratic"
bloc.
Neither Great Britain nor France could
subscribe to such request It would
have overthrown the Chamberlain and
the Daladier governments overnight.
However hard pressed they may be for
powerful allies in the fight against Ger
many and Italy, they dared not accept
such program.
From Berlin the Russian dictators
now hear only pleasant words. The
question of the Baltic states becoming
part of the Soviet Empire is not quite
pleasing to the Germans, and they have
said so plainly Latvia, with the impor-
tant German centers at Riga and Dorpat,
where a German university has existed
for several centuries, must eventually be-
come German. The Baltic barons have
always been more German than Russian,
In spite Of the fact that generals like
Stackelberg and Rennenkampf have dis
tinguished themselves as Czarist officers.
But Berlin is suggesting an equally
good bargain. In the event that the
question of Danzig and the Corridor
must be settled by force of arms, there
is no reason why Poland should not 20
through fourth partition which would
benefit the Reich and Russia as well.
The plan, so far as it is known here,
would involve division of Poland into
three sections: One, the Corridor with
Teschen and Silesia becoming German
territory; the Polish Ukraine and the ad-
jacent territories to become Soviet land;
and reduced part, with no access to the
outside world except through Germany,
to remain so-called independent Polish
republic.
In order to accomplish this, all that is
required of Moscow is to remain strictly
neutral in an eventual European conflict
and to send forces into Poland only after
the Polish armies have been defeated.
The proposed bargain is very much like
the one made last September between
Berlin and Warsaw, when the Poles oc-
cupied Teschen which used to be a part
Of the Czecho-S republic
A similar fate might easily befall Ru-
mania and the existing Baltic republics.
Behind the walls of the Kremlin, where
plots have been devised ever since the
somber building was erected. another u
now being Matched.