Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-08-17
Soviet Cancellation
Policy Is Adopted
By Great Britain
Cooperation Sought
In Problems Where
Interests Coincide
By HELEN KIRKPATRICK,

BY HELEN lhhf n MIN,
CHICAGO Daily News Foreign CORRESPONDENT,
LONDON, Aug. l7.-After at least
IA months of indecision, there are
indications that the British govern
ment has decided upon positive
policy toward Russia. That policy
is to be one of Cancellation based on
political realities and henceforth,
if there is any possibility of CO.
operation between Great Britain and
Russia, it would seem that it will
not be Britain which creates the
obstacles
Britain had previously vacillated
between the conviction. on one side,
that Russian and British interests
were 100 per cent similar and that
anything from an alliance to a
working arrangement would be
forthcoming at any moment, and on
the other, the extreme of believing
that Russia was part of the axis
and, therefore, that nothing Britain
could do would bring Russia more
onto the Allied side.
But the results from this waver-
ing policy were so negative that,
finally, responsible quarters here I'M
dertook a realistic and searching
study of relations between Russia
and Britain. The conclusion reached
appears to have been that there
may be considerable to be gained
from British Russian collaboration
in as many realms as is possible.
First Move Up to Britain.
As it is Britain. who is being at
tackled in the West, in Africa, and IN
the Far East, it will fall to Britain
to make the conciliatory gestures,
first of all. The immediate question
which springs to the eye is that
of the Baltic countries-their gold
reserves, and their ships, not to
mention the recognition of their alb
-sorption by Russia.
Britain may find it an easy matter
to adjust economic and financial
matters, but recognition will be more
difficult This might be arranged
by good fence-sitting whereby rec
ignition were not accorded and yet
the Baltic ministers, here in London
who are still recognized as represent
ing their respective countries, were
gradually allowed to slip into the
background.
Finland Question Tricky.
The question of Finland is obvi-
ously even trickier than that
of the Baltic countries. Re-
cent reports from Finland and
Russia seem to foreshadow an
other attack on Finland. The feel
ing in Britain, as we'll as through
out the world, is such that Britain
could not be allowed to become a
party to the final dismemberment
of Finland Probably Britain's
easiest line would be not to raise the
question either with Finland or with
Russia. However, the general feel
ing in informed quarters here is that
Southeastern Europe is interesting
MOSCOW much more imam Is F1nland
right now.
So far as it is possible to tell, it
would appear that the British have
for once attacked their foreign pol
icy problem in a realistic sense with
out ostrichiSm or wishful thinking.
They do not see Russia becoming an
active ally, but they think that 1t is
worth while securing Russian CO.
operation in those problems where
British and Russian interests really
coincide.
Given this basis on which to work,
it may be possible, it is thought here,
for Sir Stafford Grips, British AM
oassador to Russia, to progress in
his efforts to secure trade agree
ment.
Copyright 1910, Chicago Daily News. Incl