Evening star., 1939-11-02
0umansky Will Find
Russian-American
Relations Strained
Returning Envoy Foees
Serious Sessions With
Stote Department
BY JOHN C. HENRY.


lations, badly strained by incidents
Of recent weeks, probably will be the
first order Of business between the
State Department and Constantine
Oumansky, Soviet Ambassador, when
he returns to Washington. Sailing
yesterday from Genoa, Italy, Mr.
Oumansky was expected to reach
here late next week.
Although opinions pointedly differ
as to who has been meddling in
whose business, the tension between
the two governments had its first
manifestation early last month when
President Roosevelt addressed an
appeal to the Russian and the Fin
nish governments to refrain from
any action in their pending nego-
tiations which might disturb their
peaceful relations.
A short while later President
Kalinin of Russia replied with soft
words, but with pointed meaning,
that his government was concerned
only with peace, despite the rumors
circulated by those less deeply de-
voted to European harmony.
City Of Flint Incident.
s Washington BECAME outspokenly
and clearly trrdtated with the Mos
COW government, however, during
the last 10 days Of October while
the American freighter City Of Flint
was being held by a German prize
crew in Murmansk Harbor, with the
American crew being cut of from
any communication, and American
diplomatic officials being refused
either timelySor direct information.
United States Ambassador Laurence
Steinhardt expressed this indigna- =
ton in personal protest to Moscow
last week.
On Tuesday came the next in
cident, the bristling speech of Rus
sian Premier Molotof in which he
accused President Roosevelt of un-
neutral Intervention in the Rus
sian-Finnish negotiations and i'm
pugned the motives of this Govern
ment in having the arms embargo
lifted.
Mr.. Roosevelt made no direct re-
sponse to the Molotof speech, but
White House Secretary Stephen T.
Early accomplished this effect yes
terday by virtual accusation that
the Soviet government is attempt
ing to meddle in the shaping of
our foreign ploicy. Specifically, his
complaint was that the Russian
Premier had timed his criticism of
our neutrality legislation to COIN
eide with Tuesdays important
House vote on sending the Senate
bill to conference.
May Recall U. s. Envoy.
Last night the White House went
q step further to demonstrate So
Wet inconsistency. It recalled the
congratulations of President Kalinin
to President Roosevelt last April
on the occasion of the latter's in
tervention in European affairs to
the extent Of his appeal to Ger
many's Chancellor Hitler that. Nazi
forces would not attack Finland.
Estonia, Latvia, Lthuania, Sweden,
Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands,
Belgium, Great Britain and Ire
land, France, Portugal, Spain,
Switzerland, Leichenstein, Luxem-
bourg. Poland, Hungary, Ru-
mania, Yugoslavia, Russia, Bull
garia, Greece, Turkey, Iraq, the
Arabias, Syria, Palestine, Egypt and
Iran.
AS a possible result of this series
Of incidents, Ambassador Steinhardt
might be recalled from Moscow
Such a course was followed when
this Government became annoyed
with the German government and
recalled Ambassador Hugh Wilson
from Berlin. A demand that it be
done In the present situation was
made on the floor Of the House yes
terday by Representative McCor-
mack, Democrat, of Massachusetts,,
who described the Soviet government
as anti God"
Informed sources here, however,
secuted the probability that any re-
call, even If decided on, would be
issued to Mr.. Steinhardt before Mr.,
Oumansky's return to Washington
and opportunity for discussions with
him about his country's attitude.