TURN TOWARDS ASIA

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 33, 9 February 1939, Page 11

TURN TOWARDS ASIA

FORESEEN IN RUSSIA MOSCOW'S WESTERN INFLUENCE xJrastic revision of Soviet foreign policy—turning its back on Europe, its eyes on Asia—is foreseen by some diplomats as a probable result of the successful Anglo-French pressure on Czechoslovakia to give Adolf Hitler new territory, said an Associated Press message from Moscow to the "New York Times" at the end of September. Official observers believed Moscow's influence on Western European States would have dwindled almost to the vanishing. point when Czechoslovakia was "neutralised" by German encroachments.' The Soviet Government newspaper "Izvestia" published a grim warning, saying that "the fate of Czechoslovakia is the fate of France." Government sources suggested in Soviet Press articles that a German victory in Czechoslovakia automatically would mean Rumania- and other Danubian States would adjust themselves to German hegemony and abandon all hope of support from France, their former protector. Poland, already aligned with Germany in plans for gaining minorities at Czechoslovakia's expense, was considered by Moscow as definitely in the German camp. v So. many believed, the Soviet Union, diplomatically encircled, might forget Europe and seek to exercise a dominant influence in Asia. Foreign Commissar Maxim Litvinoff's Geneva speech, in which he accused France and Britain of capitulation to Hitler, ignoring a Soviet offer of military aid, was seen in Moscow as reiteration of the official Soviet position, that it would be loyal to its treaty obligations COMMITMENTS LIMITED. Since the Soviet-Czech mutual assistance pact did not require Moscow to act until France fulfilled a similar pact with Czechoslovakia, Russian commitments were considered limited. . Some foreign diplomats were, of the opinion that the Soviet Union would confine its aid to measures similar to those given the Spanish Government, even if,.France fought for Czechoslovakia. ■ — Bitter against France and Britain, a Soviet spokesman expressed contempt for their "full-blooded conspiracy" to help Hitler in hope of saving their own skins. A growing tendency in Soviet Press and official circles was to emphasise belief in the essential sameness of all Imperialist Powers, whether active aggressors or collaborators with aggres-' sors. ' | Some diplomatic, observers reached the conclusion that Moscow foresaw that Czechoslovakia would have to capitulate and would use it as a ground work for a new, vigorous propaganda campaign against all Imperialist Governments including Britain. Zdenik Fierlinger, the Czechoslovakian Minister, has received a message from his Government announcing that Czechoslovakia had accepted the Anglo-French terms for the Sudeten settlement under overwhelming pressure, said a special message from Moscow to the same newspaper. No comment on this turn in the situation could be obtained at the Sdviet Foreign Office. It is certain, though, that when authoritative comment is given, it will strongly condemn France and England for failing Gzechpslpvakia and once more, retreating before an aggressive Germany. ■In the Soviet view, every such retreat only makes it more certain there ■will be war and that France and England will be at an ever greater disadvantage5 in comparison with Germany. Hitler's "self-determination" policy, in accordance with which first Germany, then Poland and Hungary have proposed to dismember Czechoslovakia in the supposed interest of the German, Polish, and Hungarian minorities residing there, inspired "Pravda," the Communist Party organ, to th 6 suave editorial suggestion that such a policy might prove a boomerang. "Pravda" especially mentioned Poland, where there is considerable agitation over the Polish minority in ' Czechoslovakia, as a country which might find such a policy awkward. "If a census were taken of the Poles residing in the Ukrainian and White Russian regions of the Polish State, the result could hardly serve as reason for those regions belonging to Poland," said "Pravda." "Furthermore, should one bring up ■ the delicate question of what rights of self-determination, what rights in gen- ■ eral are enjoyed by the Ukrainian and White Russian populations of Poland, the result would prove no less eloquent." . „ . . ~ : As to the international crisis, the : same editorial further said: ' "The Soviet Union regards with equanimity the question as to which Imperialist beast of prey runs the af- '• fairs of this or that colony, this orj that dependent colony, for it $ees no : difference between German and English beasts of prey. "By accepting brigandage m respect to Czechoslovakia, England and France ' ptey with fire, for tomorrow these * same questions may be raised for them * in certain regions of Asia N and Africa ! that are now under the domination of I the 'democratic States.'"