Evening star., 1939-12-01
BY DEWITT MACKENZIE
press Foreisn Affairs Writer.

All yesterday, while bewildered
citizens of the doll-garden coun-
try, which is Finland, were dying
from Russian bombs amidst the
ruins of their trim cottages and
well-kept public buildings, I heard
over and over again, in many places:
But Why should this horror have
to be. visited upon little Finland,
of all handsome of the most popu-
lar countries In the world?"
The answer isn't hard TO ind If
we rip through the camouflage with
which the Russo-Finnish dispute
has been disguised. Both sides
charge intolerable aggression. Of
course, but we needn't bother with
that. The underlying cause of this
unequal struggle, which has shocked
both hemispheres as few other
events in these recent turbulent
years have done, are twofold:
!. 1t Is defensive move, calcu-
lated to render Russia impregnable
against attack from the west.
2. 1t flts in with other recent Bol-
shevist moves in Eastern Europe
and represents one of the vital
preparations for the resumption of
the Communist crusade for a world
revolution" that is, a campaign to
bring all other countries into the
Red fold-a worldwide Soviet.
World Revolution Shelved.
If that is a startling statement
it really shouldn't be, for the whole
thing Is laid down In the Bolshevist
history Of the past 20 years. The
trouble is that the world revolution Y
has been shelved for long time and
people have so far forgotten it that
they fail to recognize 1t now on its
temperance under new guise.
For the first few years after the
establishment of the Soviet regime,
the Bolshevists dissipated their re-
sources and energy trying to create
a world Soviet by revolution. When
Josef Stain came to power some Is
years ago he decided that the world
drive must await the consolidation
of Communism at home and the
building of a mighty Russia.
He proceeded to put his policy into
effect and the world revolution was
held in abeyance. Some five years
ago the astute Stain saw another
European upheaval in the offing. He
figured that this would provide the
opportunity to cause civil strife in
the afflicted countries and thereby
permit the spread Of Communism.
Gained Strong Position.
So Moscow quietly revived the
world drive. The recent Russian
moves are a more startling evidence
Of the trend of affairs than we have
been used to, that's all.
When Russia took over Eastern
Poland and made the three Baltic
states-Latvia, Lithuania and Esto-
nia-virtual protectorates, 1t gained
strong strategic position and at
the same time provided for the easy
extension Of Bolshevism In that
area.
Control of Finland, however, with
establishment Of military and naval
bases in that country, was necessary
to give Moscow complete domina-
ton of the entire Eastern Baltic.
The Russians made their demands
on the Firms, struck their first real
opposition and yesterdays invasion
followed.
Assuming that the Russians now
have secured what they want, they
have established themselves in q
powerful position, either for offen-
sive or defensive operations. Ger
many's domination of the Eastern
Baltic Is gone, and Nazidom must
be regarding the new situation with
gloom.
Russia now will be in much better