The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo. MONDAY, JANUARY 14, 1929. THE SOVIET PEACE MOVE.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 11, 14 January 1929, Page 6

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo.

MONDAY, JANUARY 14, 1929. THE SOVIET PEACE MOVE.

For the cause that lacks assistance, For the wrong that needs resistance! For the future in the distance, And the good that we can do.

Ever since Litvinoff submitted to an astonished League of Nations his proposal for universal and simultaneous disarmament it has been apparent that the Soviet Republic regards the cause of world peace as a useful weapon in its diplomatic armoury. Just before the close of the year a further move in the same direction was made with two, Notes addressed by the Russian Government to Poland and Lithuania respectively, suggesting that these States should formally accept the principle of tho Kellogg Peace Pact without waiting for the other Powers to ratify it.

Considering what Poland suffered through the Bolshevik invasion, the Polish Government might well be surprised at this sudden change from belligerency to pacifism. The Note which it has dispatched in reply to the Soviet offer expresses clearly, though politely, the amazement of Poland at Russia's change of front. It points out that the Powers which are primarily responsible for the Kellogg scheme have not yet ratified it; and that before taking any steps in the matter Poland proposes to consult Latvia and Esthonia, Rumania and Finland—an obvious preliminary move which the Soviet Government has not thought it necessary to make.

But though Russia in one sense has been rebuffed by Poland, the Soviet Government has scored a diplomatic point which it has promptly utilised to the best advantage. Its Note in response to Poland treats Poland , :? answer as in effect an acceptance of the principle that regional peace pacts might in some cases take the place of such a universal compact against war as the League of Nations represents. Now this is the very conclusion that Britain has already tried to stress in her dealings with the European Powers. For since the failure of the Protocol of 1926 Britain has favoured the extension of such regional agreements as she has made with France and Germany about the Rhine frontier, and as a matter of political consistency she can hardly oppose Russia's new scheme for Eastern Europe. The Soviet diplomats have thus scored a distinct success with their latest manoeuvre in the field of international affairs.