SPLIT IN SOVIET HIGH COUNSELS?

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 303, 23 December 1939, Page 9

SPLIT IN SOVIET HIGH COUNSELS?

STALIN'S PROBLEM.

Aggression In Finland Was

Muddle i Tactics.

SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT

United Press Aosociatloo Copyright

(Received 10 a.m.)

NEW YORK, December 22.

Mr. G. E. R. Gedye, Moscow correspondent of the "New York Times," says: "The only prominent Soviet personage—and he is one of the most prominent often mentioned as M. Stalin's own choice as his successor— whose tribute on the dictator's sixtieth birthday was conspicuous by its absence, is M. Andrey Zhdanoff, leader of the Leningrad area. '"He is avowedly leader of the antiFinlund spirit, which is believed to have succeeded, despite considerable Departmental opposition from the Polit Bureau, which advocated Stalin's usual waiting tactics and cautious methods. "M. Zhadauoff is also considered to be a leader of anti-British feeling. "The Finnish campaign so far has not br night military glory to Russia, while the haste in proclaiming a Finnish 'people's government' was calculated to force the Soviet to attempt to complete the military subjugation of Finland, and made acceptance of a reasonable compromise a task which only a great statesman could accomplish.

"The omission of a message from M. Zhdanoff may be a coincidence, but in view of the above circumstances it- is most interesting."