The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1941-04-10

an ambassadorial party now and
get a good attendance. Not so
very long ago. every time he is
sued invitations to some classy
function at his diplomatic head
quarters on Sixteenth street, the
invites virtually boycotted him
II was noticeable, too, that Musco-
vite chuck is mighty toothsome
and stimulating including delicious
Russian caviar and pungent vodka
But Constantine couldn't get more
than a corporals guard Of guests
onto his premises to eat and drink
his refreshments.
1t was partly because the Sta
linist outfit is Communistic, but
that alone didn't get Constantine
so completely blacklisted. The
Soviets' action in hopping onto
Finland was what utterly finished
him socially, and pretty well fin
ished him officially.
What rehabilitated him was
Moscow's friendly stand for pro-
British Turkey. which is inter-
preted as foreshadowing a rift in
the loose compact between the
Soviets and Germany.
Back-Patting Explained
In principle Washington doesn't
like the Communists any better
than ever it did. but at certainly
does think they ought to be en-
couraged to turn as sour as pos
sible toward the Nazis, the Fas-
cists and the Japs also Hence all
the pats on the back that Ambas-
sador Oumansky is getting.
state Undersecretary Welles held
a whole week Of conferences with
him, and then issued his statement
expressing Uncle Sans pleasure"
At the position Moscows assumed
relative to the Turks. He didn't
mention pleasure concerning re-
ports that Russia has put a stop
to exports Of its oil to Germany,
because those reports haven't been
confirmed yet. If they ARE con-
firmed, though, it'll be still more
pleasurable.
Neither American diplomats or
military experts rate the Russians
very high as a fighting organiza-
ton. Not that, individually, they
can't fight alright, probably, but
their arrangements considered
very poor.
Still, they're numerous and geo.
graphically strategical.
Then there's Yugoslavia, the big
gest Of the Balkan countries,
which is a mixed-up mess. Origin
ally It was Serbia. Serbia came
out Of the last World war with the
acquisition Of several other groups
OF peoples. These others are the
ones that dictated the dicker with
Herr Hitler just before King Peter
came into power, but Serbs remain
as the nub Of Yugoslavia, and
they're violently anti-German-
and are dandy scrappers, though
not overly equipped for warfare.
Now II Hitler has Serbian Yugo-
slavia on his hands, plus Greece,
plus -pro-Zog Albania, plSs Tur-
key, plus all the help Britain can
give EN-. plus all sorts Of supplies
from the United States and minus
any effective help from Italy and
without any effective japanese aid
in that field Of operations-won't
such a combination be calculated
TO worry him-with another war
on his opposite front?
And then add the Soviets, II they
can be wished into the aggrega-
tion
They'd Be Handy
II makes no difference whether
you like Communists or not. It's
a situation IN which RUSSIA car
come in handily from the democra-
cies' standpoint-as an anti-Axis
belligerent II available. or even as
a pro-democTatic neutral IL that's
the best that can be squeezed out
Of the Moscow government.
SO Ambassador Oumansky isn't
merely being treated with an in.
creased amount OF consideration
He's being definitely played up to
with view TO getting pro-demo-
cratic reports to Mosco,- out OF
him.