THE MIDDLE EAST

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 105, 31 October 1939, Page 9

THE MIDDLE EAST

A SOVIET DRIVE?

TROOPS CONCENTRATED AT BAKU

HEPORT FfeDM CAIRO

(By Telegraph—rress Association—Copyrlglit.J

NEW YORK, October 28,

The Cairo correspondent of the "New York' Times" says it is generally believed that the Soviet is preparing to Bolshevise the Middle East. This opinion is based on a large concentration of troops at Baku (the Russian port on the Caspian Sea). The Russian belief is that the East, with its semi-feudal system, lends itself readily to Bolshevisation.

It is believed that as a pretext for an invasion of Iran the Soviet will ask for an outlet in the Persian Gulf. A refusal is expected, with Turkey holding aloof.

It is improbable that the Iranian army will be able to resist long, and, thus the entire Middle East, including India, will be endangered. But Russia will be disagreeably surprised, if she embarks on the campaign. Besides the tremendous resistance by the Allies, despite their preoccupation in the West,, she will face the resistance of the en-, tire population of the Middle Eastern cbuntries of Iran, Irak, and Afghanistan, where more than. 90 per cent of the people are Moslems. Also, the 80,000,000 Moslems of India are all bitter foes of Communism on religious grounds. The benefits with which the Soviet may intend to bribe the natives are insufficient to compensate for the fear that the Soviet will abolish Islam. No Ogpu and no wholesale shootings j can force the devout Moslems to submit to Communism. i