Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-01-22

answer, free hand In Finland, a
military base near the Dardanelles
and a dominant voice in the OIL
rich Middle East in return for q
four-power axis;
The State Department volume
Yves published last night after
months of discussion among top Of
ficials here as to what disposition
should be made of the documents
which we're captured by American
forces when Berlin fell and which
Russia fought successfully to ex-
clude from the Nuremberg war
crimes trial.
: Original Publication Changed.
= Originally, 1t was announced that
these and a great mass of other
captured records would be pub
nshed by common agreement among
the United States, Britain and
France in series of books giving
a total picture of Hitler's interna-
tional intrigues. But this plan was
changed drastically and swiftly to
provide for selective publication OF
the papers bearing On German
Russian relations alone.
State Department officials now
give the former explanation that
they changed signals after being
pressed with demands from both
scholars and correspondents for the
documents. They also say that much
of the information was gradually
leaking out anyway.
Among other things, the docu-
ments recorded that:
l. A Soviet diplomat told COL
league in Berlin in June, 1889, that
Russia was hesitating between con-
Guiding an alliance with Britain
and France or a rapprochement
with Germany, the latter being
closest to the desires of the Soviet
Union"
2. After the Soviet German pact
was concluded, Germany received
a valuable flow of raw materials
from Russia. which "decisively
weakened" the British blockade.
8. Soviet Foreign Minister Molo-
tov agreed with Hitler, in No
vember, 1910, talk, that "the United
States had no business either in
Europe, in Africa or in Asia"
4. Premier Stain remarked, at
o dinner marking conclusion of
the 1899 pact, that, if England dom
mated the world, this was due
to the stupidity of other countries
that always let themselves be
bluffed."
& The first document in the book
reported suggestion by the Soviet
Ambassador in Berlin on April II,
1885, that Germsn-Soviet relations
might become better and better. y
The last is the June %, 1941, Ger
man declaration of war on Russia.
Russian Spheres" Assigned.
Mr.. MolotoW is credited in the
German records with setting off the
talks that led to conclusion of the
Nazi-Soviet friendship pact on
August %, 1899, a few days before
German armies marched into Poland
to start the war.
His obstinate" demands for pre-
cise definition Of territorial conces-
sions for Russia in the new order"
also get the blame for later exas-
nerating Hitler and turning him
toward a decision to make war on
Russia.
The 1889 pact included secret
nrotocols, providing for the division
If poland between Russia and Ger
,,aony and assigning Russia spheres
~ influence" In other areas.
" In their November, 1910, talks in
berlin. Hitler is recorded as urging
,saon Moiotov that Soviet expansion
oLonld be in the direction OF the
Sl, ocean and insisting that
ttarritorial changes in the Balkans at
nt time would endanger Ger
man msnys was effort
.nparently Overplayed Hand.
~. Mr.. Molotov apparently over
buy his hand by insisting on the
p1sS pay to a free hand in Finland a
rie 5i;torv base within range OF the
aai1.rich area lin the general
the on OF the Persian Gull be
directiusd as the center OF the
reco sItions Of the Soviet Union"
sspira.,o'iIl less than month after