Evening star., 1941-01-26

Termination of the moral embargo on
airplane shipments to Russia is an
important development of American for
eign policy. Coming at this time, the
step would seem designed to weaken the
ties between the axis powers and the
great Soviet republic, as well as TO pro-
vide a check to the progress OF JapanS
"new order in East Asia"
Conversations looking to the end now
achieved have been proceeding in WASH
ington between Russian Ambassador
Oumansky and UndCrsecretary of State
Welles since the signing of the trl-
power accord between Germany, Italy
and Japan on September 27 1t was
that consolidation of the dlCtatorShlpS
which caused the administration TO
modify its quasi-hostile attitude towards
Russia, in order TO avert the threatened
establishment of a solid totalltarian bloc,
stretching from German occupied France
across Europe and Asia to the coastllne
Of Alaska.
In addition to the embargo on air
planes and materials essential to their
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when that country invaded Finland,
various other unfriendly American &C
tons have been alleged by the Soviet
government. These included govern
mental impeachment to the filling of long
standing Russian orders for machinery
and machine tools the impounding in
American ports of Latvian, Lithuanian
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those Baltic states: the continued deflni-
ton of Russia as all "aggressor' in public
statements by high American officials.
Political Consequences.
Ambassador OumanSky has been able
10 argue persuasively that such actions
could result only in strengthening Russo
German ties. His argument was under
lined on January 10, when Berlin and
Moscow Jointly announced the signing
of IAN enlarged economic agreement"
Under this, increased quantities of Rus
sian raw materials and oil are TO be
traded for German industrial and mill
tary equipment. The signing of this
pact has been promptly followed by elm
ination of the restrictions against ship
ment of American airplaneS to Russia
The major consequences of this i'm
portant development are likely to be
political. 1t is unlikely that any of the
planes or parts so urgently needed by
Great Britain will now be diverted to
Russia and all risk of this can readily be
prevented by our export license system
But removal Of the stigma against Rus
sia will none the less have widespread
psychological effect.
The fact that American bombing
planes can now be flown from Alaska to
Vladivostok, for Russian use, is a strong
deterrent to any extension of japanese
aggression toward the East Indies So
Increased japanese efforts to establish
more friendly relations with Russia may
now be expected
Even as Mr.. Welles, in Washington,
was announcing the accord with Mr.
Oumansky, the japanese Foreign Min
ister in Toxic, was suggesting that Japan
is ready to pay Russia high price for
the benevolent neutrality of the Soviet
Union in the event of Pacific war
Japan, Mr.. Matsuoka told the Diet, is
prepared for fundamental, far-reaching
adjustments" in its relations with Russia
Effect in Balkans
On the other side of the globe from
Toxic, in the uneasy Balkans, the effect
Of the new understanding between the
United States and Russia is scarcely less
apparent. 1t is undoubtedly one of the
subjects which Col. "Wild Bill Donovan
discussed with high officials of the Bull
garian and Yugoslav governments during
his visits to Sofia and Belgrade last week.
Nothing official has been made public
about the extended tour which Col
Donovan is making. But its general pur-
pose is known to be the exchange of
highly confidential views and informa-
ton. At this moment such informal
diplomacy can be exceedingly influential
III both Bulgaria and Yugoslavia.
With Russia's moral support, these
Slavic countries are now resisting Hitler's
efforts to draw them into his orbit in
order to overpoWer Greece and under
mine Britains Mediterranean supremacy.
Assurances that relations between Russia
and the United States have taken turn