EXTENDING NAZI INFLUENCE

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21086, 10 February 1934, Page 13

EXTENDING NAZI INFLUENCE

| A SOVIET VIEW i I i ALLEGED ACTIVITIES IN i BALTIC STATES | i | LONDON, January 2. ; i Under the heading of "German Imperialism and Fascism in the Baltic States," M. Karl Radck, the Soviet Government's authority on foreign affairs, publishes an article in "Isvestia" dealing with the alleged activities of German agents in the countries comprising what is known as the Baltic Group. "The Fascists in these smaller states," he affirms, "cannot exist without powerful support, and, as assistance cannot be expected from the Soviet Union, they have naturally turned to Germany." j He quotes an article which recently appeared in the German journal "Dcr Ring," in which it is stated that, in order to defend Central Europe against Bolshevism, it is imperative for Germany, Latvia, Esthonia, Lithuania, Finland, Danzig, Austria, Poland, Rumania, Czechoslovakia, and Bulgaria to form a "bloc," with Germany at the head of it. Markets Offered Referring to a similar article, recently published in "Volk und Reich," M. Radek draws attention to such a statement as, "The national existence of such countries as Latvia, Lithuania, and Esthonia is now dependent on their internal constitution. They must new decide whether it is not better for them to unite their fate with that of Germany, and with the political system at present in force in that country." Analysing the articles which have I recently appeared in the German press, and the activities of German agents in the Baltic countries, M. Radek is of the firm opinion that the Baltic States are being offered an extensive and favourable market in return for adopting a Nazi form of government and of making an alliance with Germany. He further affirms that Germans in those states are taking advantage of the local movements in order to form "cells" for controlling affairs and. when the time is ripe, will seize power and join the Baltic States to the German Empire. The local organisations referred to are evidently the Perkonkrust in Latvia, the Union of Front Men in Esthonia, and the National Patriotic party in Finland.