Evening star., 1939-05-20
British Step Further
Not Likely 10 Meet
Russian Views
Boltic Stotes' Guarantee
Essential for Soviet,
French Believe
Ry PERTINAX.

BY PERTINAX.
PARIS, May 20 IN A. N A).-
Following yesterdays debate in the
House of Commons, Prime Minister
Chamberlain, Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer Sir John Simon and Home
Secretary Sir Samuel Hoare met
and decided to take step further
to meet Russian views. But what
does to take step further mean if
not that the Prime Minister and his
colleagues intend to bargain end
leSSly?
Today French Premier Daladier
was to review the whole Anglo
Russian controversy with British
Foreign Secretary Halifax and sub
nit to him compromise worked
out in consultations with the Soviet
Ambassador here, but which can
not be said to have been already
approved by Moscow.
To understand what is at stake,
the following summary of the Brit
ish view may be found useful.
First, Mr.. Chamberlain obstinately
sticks to the principle that Anglo
French h-Russian cooperation ought
to be circumscribed to Eastern Eu-
rope; that is, limited to develop
ments which may be derived from
the guarantees given to Poland and
Rumania by Britain and France,
on one side, and Russia, on the
other Even the Baltic States, ac-
cording to him, ought to be left
outside that system of Anglo
French cooperation, be-
cause, were they to be included in
it, Russia. as their immediate
neighbor, would be in a position to
make use of the guarantee given to
them in order to start a war at her
own free will.
Sharp Division Feared.
Second, corollary of the above
principle is that an all-around a.
lance of Britain, France and Rus
Sla must be avoided, as it could rot
fail to divide the whole of Europe
into two antagonistic blocs. Rather
tAieiik tAlSGl oNSlI a ION, I1l SlldAIl"
berlain prefers to forsake the help
that might be lent by Russia, es-
pecially by the Russian air force, if
the two great Western powers had
to fight for the protection of Be-
gium, Holland and Switzerland.
Some time ago, the Duke of Alba
the Spanish Ambassador to London,
warned Lord Halifax that the Bur-
gos government was determined to
sign political and military alliance
with Germany and Italy in case an
Anglo -French-Russian pact of mu-
tual assistance-in other words, an
all-around alliance-should become
an accomplished fact. Seemingly
Alba'S bold declaration has deeply
impressed Mr.. Chamberlain.
Third, Mr.. Chamberlain maintains
that, with or without Russia, the
British and French obligations to-
ward Poland and Rumania will be
fully honored, and he adds that the
Paris and London cabinets ought t.
refrain from doing anything for the
sake of enlisting Russia's support
that might estrange them from Po-
land and Rumania.
Objections Raised.
To those ideas which fully account
for Mr.. Chamberlain's conduct as
far as Russia is concerned, cogent
objections are being raised here, and
it is hoped that Lord Halifax today
will admit that they cannot lightly
be dismissed. First, it is absurd to
imagine that the Soviets can be
persuaded to add their own guar
antee to the Franco-B British guaran-
tee of Poland and Rumania while
no Franco-British guarantee would
be added to the guarantee the So
viets want to give the Baltic States.
Were the Baltic States to be refused
an Anglo-French guarantee, they
would be clearly marked out for at
tack on the part of Germany. as it
would have been advertised that
Germany would have to deal with
Russia alone If she ordered the
Reichswehr to invade Baltic terri
tory. Faced by such a state of af-
fairs, the Moscow government would
certainly prefer to reserve its atti-
tude and temporize, as blow fall
ing upon Poland and Rumania
would not affect it so much as blow
struck at the Baltic States.
AS to the danger referred to, that
Russia might be tempted to use an
eventual Franco-British guarantee
to the Baltic States to start a con-
flict. it might be warded off through
Paris and London reserving to them
selves the right to appreciate the
nature and seriousness Of aggres-
sion. In that respect, M. Daladier
is likely to suggest that the Western
powers, exclusive of Russia, might
guarantee Esthania, Latvia, etc.
Russia Wants Guarantee.
Second, it can be taken as certain
that Russia will not undertake any
obligation toward her western neigh
bors unless provided with a Franco
British direct guarantee of her own
territorial integrity, since the pos
sibility of the invasion of Russian
territory by a German army across
Rumania cannot be left out OF &C
count. The Franco Soviet pact OF
May, 1885, whereby each signatory Is