NEW WORLD TRUST

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 219, 15 September 1943, Page 4

NEW WORLD TRUST

POLICING POWERS

THE POST-WAR FRONTIERS

(By PERTINAX. 1 "

NEW YORK

Following British Foreign Secre tary Anthony Eden's visit to Washington, some salient points in AngloAmerican relations came up tor leview and explanation. The British Government m the kind of international supervision Stated from the methods worked out in the now defunct Commission of Mandates in Geneva At the same time it firmlv draws the line to ex elude anything that might outside interference in the internal affairs of the colonies committed to its care. . ' As to the so-called Imperial preferences which emanated ten years ago from the Ottawa Conference, these ought not. to be regarded as already thrown into the scrap heap. For the present the question is of no practical significance. In the future were a case to be made tot evasion the general economic balance of the British Empire would have to be preserved.

World System Wanted Mr Eden was plainly told in Washington that the United States could never send delegates to the European Council upon which Mr. Chuich U laid creat stress some time ago. piuy a world-embracing international system is likely to enlist American co-operation. It means that, in some shape, the Geneva League may use from its ashes, but with the essential difference that, at any rate among to-day's United Nations, military solidarity against an aggressor will be compulsory. Here is another noteworthy innovation: the Anglo-Russian Alliance is intended to be continued side by side with the international system as lone as that system in the judgment of the Russian rulers, is efficient. That has been provided for in the Anglo-Russian Treaty of May lb, 1942 and it is enough drastically to differentiate the new world organisation from the old. Moreover, we shall not hear again of a League of Nations. Some new label will have to be found. The words "International Trusteeship seem to be in vogue. The special position of Great Britain and Russia needs to be emphasised and made clear because it is frequently overlooked. No secret commitments of any kind have been entered into. All relevant agreements have been made public. And these clearly imply that, as far as formallv-defined obligations of a juridical nature arc concerned (all sentimental ties or traditional relationship left apart). England and Russia, within the circle of the United Nations, have more closely coordinated their respective policies for the next two decades than any other pair or group of States.

Russian Frontier Problem

The problem of Russian frontiers, so often mentioned in the newspapers, does not arise for the British Government in the same manner as possibly for other Governments. Neither in the first Treaty of Alliance with Russia (July 11, 1941) nor in the second, one of the most. far-reaching instruments which diplomacy has ever forged, is any reference made to frontiers. Therefore, the Russians contend that the validity of the 19-11 frontiers cannot be questioned in London and the adhesion of Moscow to the Atl-antic Charter of August 14, 1941, was given on that premise.

It would be open, of course, for Poland to ask for modifications in the territorial limits of Russia as they emerged from the Russian-Ger-man agreements of 1939. But the Polish Government has. by now. seemingly made up its mind to shun that procedure on the idea that its bargaining power will increase rather than diminish with the passing of time.

Between the ''niled States, on the one side, and , • ' . en the other. Croat Britain (int.; herself politically situated as once France was in the early years <>f this century. franco then was bound to Russia by a military alliance and to England by the "Entente Cordiale." To forestall all dissension within what was to be called the "Triple Entente," Foreign Mini t Theophile Delcasse had for yea; romnted the conclusion of an \ • understanding and h: ; planning came to maturation on Au;--<-.t 31, 1907. It made for common h irmony Of comparable importance is the gap to be filled up now between America and Russia. .For that reason a meeting of American and Russian statesmen is very much to be wished for. But I am told that Stalin cannot be expected to get away from Moscow m war time. Consequently the probabilities are that sooner or later an American personality of the first rank will visit the Russian capital.—Auckland Star and N A N \