Evening star., 1944-02-18
Letters to The Star
Baltic.Scandinavian Union Uraed
for Peace and Freedom


To the Editor Of The Star:
The hour Of doom for the Nazis Is
approaching. 1t is not too early to begin
thinking of the terms Of settlement and
the status of small nations. Soviet
Russia could do much to consolidate and
further the defeat of NaM Germany In
the north by convincing the Scandina-
Wan and Baltic peoples that she respects
their independence and that she is will
ing and ready to aid them in the com-
mon struggle against Hitlerism with the
cooperation Of the other United
Nations.
The Swedish Prof. Sten de Geer, the
Lithuanian Prof. Kazys Pakstas and the
French Prof. j. Ancel have proved that
the Baltic countries, geographically as
we'll as culturally and historically, belong
rather to the Scandinavian region than
to the Great Russian plains, and that
the existence Of the Scandinavian coun-
tries is interviewer with the fate of the
Baltic States. 1t was Prof. Stem de Geer
who first coined the phrase Baltoscandia
in 1928 when referring to the Scandina-
vian-Baltic region.
Prof. Pakstas, in his paper entitled
THE Baltoscandian Confederation.
makes this pertinent statement: BAL
toscandia would not have the slight
est expansive aspiration toward the
Slavic nations, with their totally dis
similar language and culture. This
fact Is the most ideal foundation upon
which to build future friendly relations
with Russia From the northwest. Rus
sia would never be threatened as long
as strong and united Baltoscandia
existed. Aside from this, we would like
to believe that the democratic and
peace-loving element in Russia will con-
slider their own best interests. The Rus
slams rule one-seventh of the worlds
territory-almost too large for one
nation. In view of this, we believe the
Russians will sympathize with the small
nations in their desire to live a free
democratic life. according to their
treasured historical. cultural and re-
ligious traditions"
A Baltoscandisn confederate ton nat
urally would comprise the following
member nations: Denmark, Norway.
sweden. Iceland, Finland, Estonia. Lat
Via and Lithuania. Each nation would
retain its own identity and government
but there would be a central governing
council OF ministers. selected in a DEM
ocratic fashion, each member nation
being equally represented. The con-
federation would have single foreign
policy, to be directed by the central
council, and single army, drawn from
all the member nations. There would
be no trade barriers or tarin duties be-
tween the member states. There would
be religious freedom. All would have a
could be developed as an economic unit
with the people OF the confederation
constituting vast new market for
American, British and Russian goods.
Any disputes between member nations
or between a member nation and one
OF the large peighboring nations could
be brought before an arbitration COM
mission, consisting of American, British
and Russian members.
The movement for such confederation
has met the approval Of large segment
OF our Scandinavian and Baltic Ameri-
cans and of various leaders abroad. It
would be logical to assume that the
Baltic States would prefer to base their
future relations with Soviet Russia on
the Moscow treaties of 1920 by which
Soviet Union voluntarily and forever re-
nounced all rights Of sovereignty over
them in favor of the Lithuanian,
Estonian and Latvian nations.
Naturally some boundary questions
might arise. Finland should be per-
mitted to retain Viipuri and also have
a fringe on the northern shore of Lake
'Ladoga. Soviet Russia and Poland could
be allowed the use of East Prussia after
the war. Under the suggested plan
Soviet Russia would have a corridor to
the Baltic Sea, the northern boundary
of which would be the Russ River, East
Prussia border, Suvalki border and Me
men River and the southern boundary
being the Vistula River, East Prussia
border, Narew River and the Pripet
River.
This entire corridor would constitute
East Prussia, governed by commission
composed of Polish, British and Russian
members, with a diet and senate elected
by the people Of that territory, which in
turn would be member state in an
eastern confederation with Poland and
Czechoslovakia. Poland could be grant,
ed portion of Pomerania in compen-
sation for the East Prussian corridor.
1t should be recognized that we must
base our war efforts on sound principles
and not on expediencies and appease-
ments, If we are to have just and en-
during peace among nations. And the
pre-eminent postwar issue is the right
Of small nations to exist and to live on
friendly terms with their more powerful
neighbors. This certainly is consistent
with the Atlantic Charter and world
wide collective security under the United
Nations. L. E.
Longer Quarantine Proposed
To the Editor Of The Star:
I was taught in the medical school
at the University of Virginia that scar-
let fever was contagious from the time
the patient developed the fever until he
finished scaling, but contend that 1t
is not contagious until the patient be-
gins to scale