Evening star., 1939-05-07
"A. P. Photos.

Z I
revolutionary work, only to be discovered
by the Tsarist police and be forced to
flee.
Finally, he was arrested in France in
1908, on the request of the Russian Sc
cret police. The French, however, re-
fused to extradite him to Russia and
he was allowed to go to England, where
he spent the next decade.
During his years in England he con-
Quoted revolutionary work and in time
became secretary of the London group
of Bolsheviks. While there, too, he
married the niece, Ivy. of Sir Sidney
Low, a well-known British publicist.
Refused Status by Britain.
When Bolshevik power was estab-
lished in Russia, Litvinoff was named
as the new states diplomatic representa-
tive in London. Britain. however, re-
fused to grant him full diplomatic status
and he remained there for some time in
an uncertain capacity. At the same
time, r. H. Bruce Lockhart, who has
memorialized his experience in British
Agent" was in similar position in Mos
COW. Neither was fully accredited Dip
lomat, but each sought to maintain re-
lations between the two estranged states.
Finally, after the attempted assassina-
ton of Latin, the Bolsheviks arrested
Lockhart. The British countered by
jailing Litvinoff. Eventually, the two
were exchanged, like prisoners Of war.
After his return to Moscow, Litvinon
was named to the Collegium on Foreign
Affairs and served until 1880 under
George Cricherin, foreign minister, whom
he succeeded. AS a matter Of fact, Lit
vinoff has been the executor Of Russian
foreign policy even longer, for during
his last two or three years in office Chi
cherin was so i'll that he was rarely
able to work more than few hours at
q time.
When Litvinoff assumed control Of
Soviet foreign relations, Russia was an
outcast nation. He has always been
forced to work between two f1res-reac-
ton abroad and mistrust at home. He
was responsible for his every act to an
oligarchy-the Politbureau, composed of
zealots with little understanding of di-
plomacy or conditions abroad-who ex-
pected him to forward Russia's national
interests while never compromising the
very Communist principles which caused
other nations to hate and fear Moscow.
It was difficult and thankless task.
Advanced Russja's Interest.
r. orIc
Litvinoff has done an excellent job for
Russia. Today Moscow has formal diplo-
matte relations with virtually every
world power. It has favorable CONNER
cial relations with many of them. It is
a member of the League of Nations. It
is bound by an alliance to the greatest
continental democracy-France. And
If Russia is willing to make certain
changes and concessions In its original
proposal which would limit British re-
sponsibility to defend the Soviet in the
Far East-it may yet sign treaty with
London.
Molotoff, for many years president Of
the Council of Peoples Commissars-the
equivalent of premier in European
parliamentary government-is one Of
Stalin's intimates and sits on the ALL
powerful Politbureau, or steering COM
mittee, of the Communist party. The
Politbureau, dominated by Stain, is the
real Russian government No action of
importance is ever taken without its
consent.
The new foreign minister, however,
knows little at first hand about foreign
affairs. His main field Of activity has
been domestic. In essence, what Molo-
toff's appointment means Is that the
Politbureau will take direct charge Of
Soviet foreign relations and that the
Russian foreign ONCE, never very power
full, will become hardly more than .
clearing -house for diplomatic mail