Evening star., 1939-09-30
Ribbentrop Found j,
To Have Failed in
Mission 10 Moscow J
Reieh-Soviet Agreement
Declared Lacking in
Help to Hitler
BY PERTINAX.

Help to Hitler
by PERTINAX.
PARIS, Sept. 80 (N.A.N.A).-0er-
man Foreign Minister Won Ribben-
trop's purpose when he went to Mos
COW was to assign . definite limit to
Russias territorial expansion In the
Baltic area; to obtain q revision Of
the scheme for partition Of Poland
that was published on September ~
that would provide for Germany In
Southeastern Europe possibilities Of
action. which occupation Of the
Polish -Rumanian frontier by the
Red Army had lessened and jeopar-
died, and to enlist Russian support
for peace overtures to be made to
France and Britain, or, alternatively,
for waging war with the maximum
intensity on the Western front.
The impression obtains here that,
Notwithstanding the snowy phrases
to be found in the German Russian
declaration about peace In the treaty
concerning the new division of Po-
land and in the letters exchanged In
order to improve trade between the
Hitlerian and Stalinian empires, Won
Ribbentrop has rather failed in his
undertaking.
Balkans, Black Sea Not Mentioned.
The first point to be Stressed 10
that neither the Baltic area nor the
Balkans nor the Black Sea Is men,
toned in the set of agreements con-
cluded on September ~. Yet, at the
very moment of Won Ribbentrop's 8
visit to Moscow, Soviet Russia was
quietly subjugating Estonia.
As to Poland, Soviet Russia, 1t 10
true, retraces her steps, and the
sphere of her imperial interests
will not include Warsaw and will be
kept back OF, the Bug River, but that
change is attended with conse-
quences that are not likely to work
to Germany's interests in the long
run. The territories now allocated
to Russia are inhabited only by
White Russians, Ukrainians and
Ruthenians. The Polish industrial
district of Lomsa, to be found In the
Russian share. will be an exception
to the rule.
1t means that all men of the true
Polish race will become German sub
jects or vassals, but that very few
Of them will be placed under Russian
rule, and that therefore German
and Russion interests in the former
territories of Poland will not be 90
closely identical as would have been
the case If the demarcation line Of
September 20 had been upheld.
Solidarity Is Vague.
As to the German Russian po-
litical, military and economic soli-
darity expressed in the three sets of
agreements, it is of the vaguest ma
ture. The most precise disposition
Is intended to forbid all third pow
ers to NEEDLE with Polish affairs, but
it may be undermined by the diff
ferentiation of interests already re-
ferred to.
AS to the promise to consult to-
gether about necessary measures to
be enforced If France and Britain
do not allow themselves to be per-
suaded to make peace upon the
basis of accomplished facts, 1t does
not really commit Stain to anything
Besides, Stain could not have
been sincere when he authorized
Premier Molotoff to sign q declara-
ton to the effect that hostiAties
ought to be stopped at the earliest
date. Such a speedy end of the
conflict could not fail to prove
disastrous to the Russian cause
as 1t would enable Germany to turn
around toward the east and re-
sumo her expansion there before
the Soviet power has had time te
consolidate its newly won positions
The promise exchanged by both
signatories to foster mutual trade
and develop it up to the level OF IL
years ago falls short Of the require
ments of Germany at war with the
western democracies and laboring
under the strangle- hold of the Brit
ish blockade.
Moreover, military commitment.
Of any kind have been deliberately
omitted.
Intimidation was Aim.
The conclusion to be drawn from
the above is that Won RibbentroI
merely tried to reproduce the ma
neuver of intimidation he contrivec
to bring about on August "a to dis.
courage the western powers and pre-.
vent them from joining in the war
1t will not succeed any more today
than one month ago, and finally the
ReichSwehr will have to be thrown
against the western front In q des.
perate attempt to break Anglo
French resistance.
To the last detail, the same mean.
are being resorted to as on the last
occasion. Last August the politica
arrangement was completed by ar
economic convention. Once more
that adjunction has been called tt
I