Evening star., 1940-01-01
Red Invasion Delay
May Affect Entire
European Situation
Relationship Of Germany
To Russio, ItoIy, japan
Especially in Question
By WILLIAM H. STONEMAN,

BY WILLIAM H. STONEMAN,
Chicago Daily News, Foreign Correspondent.
LONDON, Jan. 1.-Russia's fail
ure to achieve speedy conquest OF
Finland may seriously affect the
whole setup in Europe. and par
ticularly the position of Germany
in relation both to Russia and to
her old companions in the anti
comintern pact, Italy and Japan.
The first possibility which pre-
sents itself, though it may still be
nothing more than vague posi-
bility, is that Germany will take
advantage of Russia's discontinue
by turning on her clumsy and dis
credited friend to the north, wash
her hands of the Russo-German
understanding concluded just before
the war and patch up the axis.
Germany, Italy and Japan could
then unite in pressing for a great
crusade against Russia. accompanied
bv a truce in the west-the very
sort of arrangement which Germany
constantly sought in years immedi-
ately preceding the war.
Nobody doubts the capacity Of
Fuehrer Adolf Hitler to double
cross the Russians. The only ques-
ton is whether or not Hitler Would
consider such scheme advisable
at this moment, and whether or
not such a scheme might succeed
If he did try it. So far, the allies
still seem determined to concen-
trate their attention upon Ger
many and to let the Russian ques-
ton hang over for future refer
ence."
May Enter New Fields.
Another possibility, Of course, Is
that Russia's lack of success in the
north will drive the Soviet into new
and greener fields of conquest and
that her adventure will have the CO.
operation of Germany. There is still
Rumania, which Russia and Ger
many might easily arrange to divide
There are also Turkey and the Far
East, where Russian and German
imperialism might find it possible to
work together. And there is always
Afghanistan, with India lying just
beyond Reports to the effect that
Russian troops have massed on the
borders of Afghanistan are not sup
ported by information from the
Afghans themselves, but this in no
way precludes the possibility that
the Russians may try venture In
that direction.
If, finally the Firms are over
whelmed by superior force-Which
is still a distinct robability-Russia
may simply proceed to take what she
wants in Northern Scandinavia
while the Germans cooperate in
Southern Scandinavia. Early set
backs in Finland would soon be for
gotten if, during the course of COM
ing spring, Russia and Germany
together succeeded in engulfng the
whole Scandinavian Peninsula.
Duce's Position Not Clear.
Thus, the possibilities are not only
numerous but strictly divergent ir
character and none of them are very
pleasant. Which one finally ma.
terializes will depend not only upor
the outcome of the Finnish war bu
upon the secret plans of Fuehrel
Hitler himself, and to a lesser eX
tent upon the mental process o.
Dictators Josef v. Stain and Benitt
MuSsolini. Admittedly the position
of II Duce is not at all clear ane
certainly his ultimate decision will
not necessarily be dictated by tht
Vatican
Reports of mutiny in the Russian
army are given great deal of at.
tention in London newspapers
but are not though by observer
here to be of great Importance. tt
back up the army operating on th'
Finnish front the Soviet authoritie
have several divisions of first-rate
ll-disciplined and Well-uniformet
troops of the former Gay-Pay-Oo
which should be able to control an.
mutiny which might break ou
among isolated detachments. 1t il
also realized that the Russians hav,
not yet played the highest card ir
their hand-the Russian air force
which is sufficiently formidable il
numbers to be able to smash every
city in Finland and, if used prop
erly, to pave the way for the ad
vance of the army. So, no matte
how bravely the Firms may figh
and no matter how rotten Russia
home front and the morale of he
army may be, reports of the COLLAPSE
of the attack on Finland are felt t.
be extremely premature.
CnnYriqht 1920 by Chicapn Daily News Inc