Evening star., 1939-07-05
Indirect Aggression
Now a Problem in
ANGLO Soviet Talks
Question Appears HordIy
Touched Upon During
Negotiations
By PERTINAX.

Negotiations
BY PERTINAX.
PARIS, July 5 (N.AN.A).-The
written reply Of Vyacheslan Molo-
ton, Soviet Premier and foreign
commissar, to the British proposals
of June 20 do not certainly pave
the way to an early conclusion Of
the Anglo-French- Russian pact of
mutual assistance.
About the automatic working of
that pact in case of direct military
attack on Baltic states, an agree
ment has well-night been reached
by negotiators from the three pow
ers. But the problem of indirect
aggression-that is, political devel-
opments within those states which
are likely to imperil their inde-
pendence, for instance by the set
ting up Of Fascist mode Of govern
ment or by the conclusion of
treaty under Germany's dictation-
to the surprise of many, that prob
lem appears. 50 far, to have hardly
been touched upon.
Russia May Be Raising Terms.
1t may be taken for granted that
in his note Molotoff emphasizes the
importance OF that point. In my
past dispatches have continuously
assumed that, as formulated by
Stain and his advisers, the pri-
mary condition Of pact between
Russia and the Western powers
ought to be that Soviet Russia
should be entitled to hold the keys
of peace and war in the Baltic
area. that she should be put in a
position to decide by herself where
and when military action had to
be used to prevent Germany from
placing under her control Latvia,
Estonia and Finland-in short, that
she should have the same privilege
as Poland enjoys toward Danzig and
Lithuania.
1t now turns out British proposals
have overlooked that problem ex-
cept, of course, in the case Of di-
rect military attack. 1t is disap-
pointing to have to record that the
ground hitherto covered by negotia-
ton Is inadequate. Moreover. on the
Russian side, we have to reckon with
an obvious tendency to raise the
terms to be exacted from France
and England.
At least two requests are put for
ward by the Kremlin, which, in the
preceding weeks, had never been
mentioned. One of them is in re-
lation to the guarantee of Holland
and Luxembourg and Switzerland,
which. through a bond with the
western powers. Russia might be
called to make effective. How can
Soviet Russia properly be asked to
guarantee three states which stead
lily have refused to this day to enter
into official diplomatic relations with
her? Such is the query which has
just been put forward in the Molo-
tof1 note.
Molotof Seen rs Obstacle.
Either that request has been con-
ceived in Moscow merely as a bar
gaining move and thus is unlikely
to loom larger than trivial episode
in the course of negotiations or it
has been intended to be taken quite
seriously and will be maintained.
On that assumption, competent OBJ
servers are at loss to perceive how
it can be complied with.
The Quai dOrsay and the for
eign office exchanged views all yes
terday trying to find the most ex-
pedient procedure to accelerate the
tempo of the Moscow talks. Many
admit that the root of the trouble
is that no conversation worthy Of
that name will occur so long as
Molotoff is the interlocutor of Brit
ish Ambassador Sir William Seeds.
Special Envoy William Strang and
Frances Magyar. Note after note
is delivered to him and he recipro-
Gates them with other notes which
simply underline the differences OBJ
tanning between the respective poll
cies of the three governments con-
cerned.
In such circumstances progress is
necessarily very slow. Therefore the
suggestion has been made again that
British statesman of high rank
and with an unblemished record in
regard to the settlement at Munich
should be dispatched to Moscow for
the definite purpose of having an
exhaustive explanation with Stain
himself.
Chamberlain Blind to Realities,
Former Premier Pierre Laval and
Former Foreign Secretary Anthony
Eden and the diplomats who,
in 1885, assorted them to Mos
COW can testify that Stain has a
remarkable grasp of all subjects of
foreign policy and that he can be
resolute, bold and well-informed ne
gotiator. He spent several hours in
discussion with Eden and later with
Laval. Why not meet him at the
earliest date and bring the whole
issue to q head?
In his conceptions and in his steps
Prime Minister Chamberlain has al
ways remained behind political
realities during the present negotia-
ton. He has foolishly thought he
could buy Soviet Russia cheaply.
On June 4 he rejected Russian pro-
posals he would be glad to accept to-
day. AS to the Russians, their pro-
pensity unfortunately is to make too
much of their strong bargaining po-
sition.
Should both sides continue to play
their present game, Hitler might be