Evening star., 1948-02-18

this information to the Ambassa-
doris attention. This Welles did.
When further information from
the same source came to me, I again
turned it over to Welles, requesting
him to communicate it to Oumansky
This he did on March 20.
Effect on Soviet Unknown.
Oumansky no doubt forwarded this
information to his government, as
he said he would. It is difficult to
say what precise effect it had on
Soviet policy. Only three weeks
later, however, Stain suddenly con-
cluded nonaggression treaty with
Japanese Foreign Minister Matsu-
Okla, at a moment when Matsuoka
believed such a treaty impossible.
There is no doubt that Stain made
the treaty to protect himself in the
Far East in the belief that Hitler
intended attacking him in Europe.
Furthermore, Russia was adopting a
stronger policy toward the Balkan
countries than might have been ex-
pected in the face of Hitler's plans
to absorb them into the Axis.
Russia, after having stimulated
Hitler in August, 1889, to embark on
the European war, and after having
assisted him by invading Poland
when the Poles were desperately re-
sisting the German Army, had inter-
fered with and obstructed Hitler's
purpose in many ways since
June, 1910.
The information we had that Hit
ler was planning an invasion of Rus
sia was particularly useful to me in
my conversations with the japanese.
It ruled cut any likelihood Of an
alliance between Russia and Japan,
and it enabled us to adopt f1rmer
attitude toward Japan than would
otherwise have been the case.
Unfortunately, the discussions be-
tween Oumansky and Welles broke
down, or rather blew up in an ex-
plosive, acrimonious exchange be-
tween them. Oumansky, who thought
that flrmness meant rudeness, was
difficult to deal with at best. More
over, he was put on the spot by his
government, which demanded much
more in purchases of key materials
than we could release in view Of our
commitments to Britain, and looked
to Oumansky to obtain them.
Hostile Attitude" Charged.
Oumansky came to me in a DARK
mood on May ID and spent the frs
20 minutes of our conversation ii
rehearsing the differences betweer
our two governments which, he said
he had vainly discussed with Welle.
20 times since the preceding summer
He then handed me communica.
ton signed by himself, referring tt
a delay in the departure of a ship
load Of material to Russia.
His note spoke Of our hostile at
titude" toward his government anc
threatened that his government
would draw all necessary conclu-
sions" from our attitude. He ther
repeated orally two or three times
that our actions was due to hostility
to his government and was a per.
sonal act due to personal hostility.
halted him at that point by say.
ing: when 7 think of a country,
think of the people more than of the
government. Neither I nor my Gov.
ernment has the least hostility to.
ward the people of any country. Ir
the case of the Soviet Union and it,
government, I have not the slightest
feeling OF personal hostility, nor ha.
my Government. 1t is not only en-.
tirely inaccurate, but grossly unfail
to impute personal considerations ir
the slightest extent to actions of this
Government. I don't propose thai
you shall get away from my office
with any thought that you have sue
cessfully'fastened that charge on thi'
Government, since it is absolutel!
without basis"
I ended the conversation by saying
we had been friends of the Russian
people both before and after ou
| recognition of the Soviet Union IL