Evening star., 1943-05-23
Soviet Move Hailed
In London as Boon 10
Allied Relationships
Magnitude Of Action
Is Acknowledged
By Germans
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
LONDON, May 22.-The decision
OF the Communist International in
Moscow to dissolve itself and relin-
quish central direction of the poll
cies Of its offshoots throughout the
world was acclaimed in sympathet-
ic London quarters tonight as
Strengthening British, American and
Russian war and postwar relation
ships.
The magnitude of the action in
abolishing one Of the principal bar
riers to Soviet friendship with other
nations was acknowledged by the
Germans as well as by the Allies.
While DNB broadcast from Ber-
lin declared the dissolution was the
greatest propaganda action ever
started by Stalin," foreign diplo-
matte source described it as "the
most intelligent and adroit diplo-
matte move of the war"
Observers were inclined to set
considerable store to the action at a
time when President Roosevelt and
Prime Minister Churchill have been
meeting in Washington and seeking
closer personal contacts with Pre-
mier Stain.
Hope for Meeting.
Only last Wednesday Prime Min
lister Churchill, In his address before
Congress in Washington, asserted he
and President Roosevelt had hopes
of meeting Stain and perhaps Cen
eralissimo Chang Kai-shek in the
near future.
Yesterday Joseph E. Davies for
mer American Ambassador to Rus
sia, delivered a letter, the contents
OF which have not yet been dis
closed, from President Roosevelt to
Premier Stain
The action coincided, also, with
developments in the North Pacific
where American forces were in the
final stages OF crushing resistance
on Attu Island in the Aleutians.
Political quarters awaited with
particular interest the impact on
neutrals and half-hearted belhger-
ents Of Europe, many of whom had
quarrels with Communism and all
Of whom Hitler has been attempt
| ing to win under the anti-Com-
munist banner.
While Foreign Secretary Anthony
Eden was expected to express Brit
aims approval In the House of Com
mons soon, British newspapers al
ready were taking an optimistic
view.
Paper Praises Action.
The Star said the step will be
of real benefit in sweetening future
Soviet-United States relations (and)
should remove in every Allied coun-
try the chief stumbling block to
happy Soviet-Aliied relations"
One of the principal disputes be-
tween Russia and the United States
in the past was the charge that
Moscow financed and directed SUBJ
versive Communist activities in the
United States, although the Rus
sian government contended it had
no official obligation toward the
Comintern.
British critics never have for
gotten how Communist leaders be-
gan eating their words when there
was an abrupt change in the party
line" in 1889 as a result of the Ger
mani Russian non-aggression pact.
The party's dependence on Moscow
has been chief argument against
the British Communist party's ap-
plication for affiliation with the
British Labor party. now pending
Setting free the Communist par
ties in all countries may permit
them to work out programs suit
able to their local conditions.
Effect Not Yet Known.
The effect Of the dissolution on
the Labor partys decision regard
ing the Communists remains to be
seen. Tome O'Brien. member of the
council of the Trades Union Con-
gress, the principal affiliate of the
Labor party, said, however. that dis
solution of the British Communist
party itself would be a logical corol-
larry.
Some London observers inter-
preted the development as addi-
tional evidence of Russia's swing
to nationalism and away from pro-
motion of world revolution.
This trend has been developing
ever since Stain expelled Leon
Trotzky in 1927, it was pointed out
and turned his attention principally
to domestic affairs, reconstruction
and defense.
It was accentuated, they said, by
the unity OF the Russian people in
a patriotic war and the return of
old ideas Of army organization and
discipline, and may be further en-
phasized after the war by Russia s
need to rebuild and reconstruct
rather than try to convert others
to her political ideas.
In some quarters, however, an op-
posite view prevailed and suspicion
Of Russia's intentions abroad were