BRITAIN AND RUSSIA

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 3, 4 July 1939, Page 9

BRITAIN AND RUSSIA

AMERICAN ESTIMATE

BEFORE LITVINOV WENT

Mr. John W. Owens, edUor-in-chief of the ''Baltimore Sun" newspapers, who has been in, Hnglaud recently studying the international crisis, dis-: cusses in an article in the •'Baltimore Sun Britain's attitude to tho United States and Russia in her campaign for aid. Mr. Owens writes; Looking at the whole picture of the British campaign for aid it seems to mo Russia is more clearly in the,forefront of thought than America, The British know they have the sympathy Of the American Government and _ believe that they have the sympathy of a large majority of the American people, But they know that Nature must" take its course in America. Of the genuine sympathy of either the"B,yssjan Government or the people—assuming that the Russian masses really know some-, thing about the European crisis—the British are doubtful or suspicious. Bijt it is possible to make a deal with Stalin and not bother about constitutional limitations er the mood ef the Russian equivalent tp tbe Middle West. A MUDDLED CONCEPTION. There is a strong and increasing conviction that a deal ought to be made. it weui^ mu44l§ tho ponseption of a battle array between democracies and dictatorships, but that is muddled already by deals with Poland, Greece, and i&un&nia, an£ m§&§ must when the devil driyes t The conviction that a deal should be made is held even among those who distrust Bolshevik Russia as they once distrusted Tsarist Russia, '. An Englishman who does not distrust _ft*}§sla is a curiosity. The reason for the pressure for a Russian deal js simple. ' Consummated the deal might scare Germany and Italy. If it did not scare and war came, the Russian air and land forces might turn out to> be as* good as the Russians say and some observers still think. If not the Russian Air Force might be good enough r^no matter if; reserves and supply service are bad^to wield an appreciable influence in the first fighting. And Britain's hope is not to win the first fighting but to withstand the German onslaught "and gain time to complete the organisation of her vast resources and France's. This pressure for a deal with Russia brought proposals for negotiations from a very suspicious British Government. Confusion is general about the real mood of Russia since M. Litvinov's resignation. WANTED A PEAL, <£b,e previous Eus&iaii position we? that Rufgia wanted a deal, but a firm, hard, and fast one. She wanted &n outright alliance with Iritaia ana France directed to European problems, She would like^still stating the position as given here of the policy under Litvinov's guidance-rr-a universal pact, but for the present would join in a three-party alliance without reference to problems such as might arise i» the Pacific. -.*■ Russia held that th© proposed alliance would cause Hitler and Mussa* lini to stand still. She -further held that this alliance would give MupsO" lini an opportunity to escape Irom his present position in the Axis, Hfe.«s said by the Russians to be fearlul ol his ultimate fate in the AMs, but also fearful of any attempt to escape po long as Germany is reseTute and successful and Britain and France are irresolute and ineffectual. Consummate the alliance, say the Russians, and Mussolini would be negotiating in London and Paris within twenty-lour hours. Thete would be peace. Fail to consummate the alliance, or water it down, or even parley too long-^ again stating the policy when Litvinov was in office—find there will be war this year. They say that a great preponderance in, the air and on land now regtg with the Axis. In addition to air superiority Germany, Italy, and Spain, they calculate, can command two hundred divisions on land, That is. far in excess of France's army. Britain could throw in quickly only a moderate force, and Poland lacks equipment and supplies, and besides cannot surely be relied} upon since Britain would find difficulty In going to her aid. She may again deal with Germany. gc«E RUSSIAN VIEWPOINT, Hitler knows all this, the Russians say, and if the alliance fails will act before Britain and France increase their strength, and that means this year. Are the Russians altruistic? They say not, Any major war, they reason, will retard their development. And no one knows where Hitler will strike, It may be in the East, ad in a manner that will threaten. Russia, He, may strike in a manner that will compel the Russians to war even though they arc not bound by the alliance. They claim that they are not so vulnerable to Hitler in the ultimate aspect •ai Britain and France, but still they ar< vulnerable. Hence they serve them selves when proposing an alliance that in their opinion will bring Hitle: to a halt. That was the State Russian theorj before Stalin packed Litvinov away British statesmen were afraid of som< kind of Russian trick before Stalit acted. They continue to be* afraid They are afraid of what the Russian; might do in any negotiations before « war, afraid of what they might do *•: war comes, afraid of what they migh do at the peace table if the war wer< fought. Still, the British know the. need help and may not have time t< pick and choose. They edge up to th< Russians. They are wary but the? edge. ' , Business with the Communis dictatorship holds a bigger place h their minds at present than the atti tude of the friendly American Government, which must submit to debate before it can do very much more thar gesture.