Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-10-31

pOlG 10 IllS pun JOoNf Va
course, is to consolidate his gains
and create a unified Em ope to sup
port his new order
Russian Attitude Vital.
The Russian attitude naturally is
a matter of paramount concern to
England at this crucial moment. To
my mind one of the cravest threats
hanging over the British is the pos
sibility Il don't say probability that
Hitler may be able tt force the boil
shevistS to throw then full support
to the axis powers.
That would be a disaster of the
first magnitude for England and
might spell her ultimate defeat.
Previously I have expressed the
view here that Russia S whole incli-
nation must be 10 rise ur and smite
Hitler, whose recent operations are
a direct challenge to Soviet inter
eSts And 1 venturCd the further
belief that Communists Chief Stain
is sitting tight because he hesitates
to tangle with Hitlers mighty mill
tary machine until more favorable
moment arrives.
In view of the vast Importance Of
the Muscovite position I should like
to take you step further today in
considering Just what Stain is up
against. Our examination starts
with the position existing two years
ago.
Soviet Believed Impotent.
Just after Hitler's Munich
triumph, when the present war
already was rearing its poisonous
head, 1 toured most of Europe My
itinerary including the eastern and
Baltic states-all countries within
the sphere of Russian influence and
bound to keep close tab on their
big neighbor.
Everywhere the talk revolved
about Hitlers growing strength and
ambitions, and what attitude the
Reds would take toward this new
personality, who obviously was going
places. In each country-Poland,
Rumania, Hungary, Yugoslavia,
Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey
people in high places expressed an
Identical view.
The burden of this was that the
Soviet was impotent-that Com
munist leaders dared not engage in
a major war for fear the people
would take advantage of this chance
to coalesce and make trouble. I
pressed vigorously for something
more substantial to prove such an
assertion, and my informants adj
mitted that the truth never would
be demonstrated until the Soviet
did 60 to war.
The Russo German Pact.
That brings us up to the Russo
German anti-aggression pact which
Hitler sought and which enabled
him to assault Poland. Please note
that Hitler himself obviously wasn't
convinced that the Muscovites were
incapable of making war.
Now Stains reasons for signing
that extraordinary pact were, to my
mind, two. First, he figured that
plenty of blood-letting in Europe
would create conditions favorable to
the spread Of Communism. Second,
he was shreWd enough to recognize
the vast strength which Hitler al
ready possessed.
Where Stains plans went awry
was that he couldn't foresee the
collapse of France, which enabled
Hitler to roll up one of the most
amazing victories of history, and
create a menace to Russia.
From then on We see MesSrs.
Stain and Hitler jockeying for
position against each other-some-
times coming very close to blows
but always avoiding war. They have
maintained the tone of friendship
but their thin-lipped smiles couldn't
fool anybody.
Waiting for Better Opportunity
And now We have Hitler poised
and apparently ready to strike at
the Dardanelles-one of Russia's
lifelines and an essential bulwark to
her safety. It's Stains move to
counter this threat and you'd ex-
pect him to strike quickly if he
could.
l think We have our answer for
that. The risk is so great that he
is waiting for better opportunity
probably hoping that Britain will be
able to break, or at least weaken,
Hitler.
Until such time as Stain is con-
WINGED that Britain has a good
chance to win the war he isn't
likely to challenge Hitler. Mean
while there's the danger that the
Nazi leader may be able to display
enough force to pull Russia I'M
willingly to his side. The prospect
of England obtaining that great
feet of airplanes may influence Rus
STA greatly.
If Moscow sits tight and Turkey
Joins Britain in defense of the
Dardanelles things will look rather
good for England. Then if the
Anglo Turkish allies make sufficient
progress the Russians may find by
spring, or even sooner, that the
time is ripe for them to join the
fray.