Evening star., 1940-11-12
MoIotoff's Mission

DtFtlUplllelllS VI WUIlu-WlQe Sig
nifcance may be expected to flow
from conferences beginning at Berlin
today with Soviet Premier Molotoff.
Visiting Germany on its invitation,
the time and circumstances of his
arrival suggest that Hitler has buSi-
ness of the first magnitude to trans
act. Seemingly Britain has failed
in the effort to detach Stain from
the axis orbit, so that events de-
signed to aggravate her situation in
both the Far East and the Near East
seem in prospect. Such a course
would be in line with the Russo
German pact sealed at Moscow in
August, 1889, at the very moment
Britain and France were negotiating
with the Kremlin A Berlin COM
munique states that Premier Mo-
lotoff'S sojourn will continue and
expand current exchanges of views
through renewed personal contact
within the framework of friendly
relations between the two nations"
Since the NaZi-Soviet deal, the
map of Europe has been redraWn.
Russia and Germany have come into
possession of extensive territorial
booty, with Poland, Finland, the Bal
tic states, Norway, Denmark the
Low Countries, France and Rumania
footing the bill The German-Ital-
ian-Japanese axis having meantime
taken form, it seems highly probable
that adoption of ways and means for
securing Soviet collaboration with
the triple alliance, for purposes of
common gain, will figure in the Ber-
lin conversations.
According to Marshal Goering's
newspaper, "the Turkish problem"
lies conspicuously within their scope.
In pursuit of its ambitions in the
Near East and the Mediterranean.
the axis Graves to eliminate Turkey
as a possible barrier. While the
Turks are in alliance with Britain,
they eScheW engagements which
would embroil them with Russia.
Because of friendly relations be-
tween Moscow and Ankara, Hitler
possibly hopes to induce Stain to
bring pressure to bear on the Turks
to further axis schemes in the Black
Sea and at the DardanelleS-a pro-
gram which began with Germany's
occupation of Rumania. followed by
1taly's attack on Greece, and which
aims at destruction of British infu-
ence in the Near East.
Because of strained Toxic Moscow
relations, Hitler hopes to fish in
Asia's troubled waters, too. If a
deal could be promoted, looking to
Russo-Japanese mutual concessions,
coincident with an agreement by
Russia to play the axis game in the
Near East, China and Turkey would
be jointly cast for the roles of sacri-
ficial victims. Western interests in
the Orient, including those of the
United States, could hardly escape
being endangered by any such devi-
GUS diplomatic dealing at Berlin.
The Soviet Union holds strong
bargaining cards. 1t would be pre-
mature to conclude that Stain will
succumb easily to axis Establishments
or come off second best from the
game being played by the dictators.
Baked in their calculation of the
early conquest of Britain, Hitler and
MuSsolini recognize the urgency of
new power combinations. The elab-
crate retinue of industrial and trade
advisers accompanying Molotoff to
Berlin suggests that Germany needs
more Russian foodstuffs and raw
materials to sustain a campaign for
that mastery of Europe which Hitler
counted on achieving long before
this.