Evening star., 1939-08-23
Stain Reported
Seeking Judge S Role
To Dictate Peace
What Reich Pact Means
Turns on InternuI
Condition of Russiu
Nv PERTINAX,

PARIS, Aug. % (N.A.N.A).-
Josef Stalin's decision to sign with
Germany a pact Of non-aggression
was totally unexpected here. Three
days ago the Quai d'Orsay firmly
believed that the Anglo-Franco-
Russian negotiations at Moscow had
been brought to a favorable con-
clusion.
However, two problems were still
outstanding and barred an agree
ment. Indirect aggression" in the
Baltic states was still to be defined
and Poland was reluctant to comply
with the Soviet demand, as ex-
pressed to French and British mill
tary delegates, that the Red Army
should, at the outset Of an inter-
national conflict, be authorized to
enter Polish territory.
That endless bargaining probably
induced Stain to listen to Ger
many's suggestion. Already, last
May, it had melted him to dismiss
Foreign Commissar Maxim Litvinoff
About the contents of the contem-
plated German-Russian pact of non
aggression, nothing is known here
The whole question is to know
whether the Russian promise to re-
frain from attacking Germany will
be conditional or unconditional. In
the first case, the check suffered by
Anglo-French policy might be OF
limited extent. The German-Rus-
sian pact would mean, in practice
that the Soviet rulers had resolved
to reserve their freedom of action
but they would see to it that Ger
many did not seize the opportunity OF
her quarrel with Poland over Danzig
to conquer in Poland and Rumania
strategic positions that hight give
her way of approach toward the
mineral and agricultural resources OF
the Ukraine and the Caucasus.
Stain May Seek Judges Role.
Then there would still be future
for Anglo French Russian cooper
alton. The German-Russian pact
would lose its validity if certain linn
its were transgressed by the Ger
man Reich, and, sooner or later,
they would be transgressed.
On that assumption, it was ru-
mored last night in semi official
quarters that, after all. Stain, elated
by the success he has won through
bringing German Foreign Minister
Won Ribbentrop to Moscow, enter
tains an ambition to play the part Of
arbitrator in Eastern Europe and to
dictate the terms of settlement, but
no concrete facts can be cited in
support of that view.
In the second case the German
Russian treaty would imply no less
than a Russian surrender, to which
no bounds could be assigned in ad-
vance, and there would be no justi-
fication for fear that Russia might
try to ward off external peril
through supplying Germany with all
she needs to sustain a long strug-
gle against the Western powers.
In the last analysis the whole
problem comes to this: Is the in
ternal condition of Russia such as
to enable Stain to resist outside
pressure, or does it make 1t neces-
sary for him to keep clear Of war
ut any cost?
French Mission to Stay.
The French government has in
structed its military mission, pre-
sided over by Gen. Joseph Doumenc,
to remain in Moscow and continue
negotiations. In the last resort the
French military delegates, in con-
junction with their British COL
leagues, may be relied upon to do
their utmost to obtain assurance
that at any rate Russia would not
sell supplies to Germany in war
time. If that minimum result
proves beyond their reach their
bojourn in the Soviet capital is
likely to be of brief duration.
For the rest, the French and Brit
lsh cabinets act on the belief that,
failing Russia's cooperation with
the western powers, her independ-
ence toward Germany will be in
direct proportion to their own re-
sistence to Germany.
Yesterday the French Ambassador
to Warsaw visited Foreign Minister
Beck and insisted again that Poland
must Immediately and officially de-
clare that Polish territory would be
opened to the red army if Germany
waged war upon her.
The calculation is made here that
time would work for Germany if
Russia's promise of non-aggression
were found to be unconditional, and
tlat, If the promise of non-aggres-
sion turned out to be conditional,
Russia would have to follow suit
anyhow in the long run, 50 that,
on both assumptions, a firm policy
would pay.
The probabilities are that, pro-
vided Poland holds fast, another
Munich is not in prospect. But the
oice may be cast within 48 hours.