Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE TUESDAY, JULY 15, 1941. BRITAIN AND RUSSIA.

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 July 1941, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE TUESDAY, JULY 15, 1941. BRITAIN AND RUSSIA.

T IIB Anglo-Russian pact is two years late, but not too late. Russia took the wrong turning when she was at the crossroads of foreign policy, in August 1939, selecting Germany as against Britain. She is now paying for her mistake, and the bitter experience should help to strengthen her new ties. Too much value should not be placed on reports of the mutual enthusiasm the new agreement has aroused in Britain and Russia. The panegyrics from Moscow on the British people and their ideals fol--1 low too soon quite contrary previous estimates from Soviet sources. What is clear is that both Russia and Britain realise that unity in a common danger is imperative, and the desirable arrangements are being made. The new alliance is advantageous to both sides, and is therefore built on sure foundations. Whether the structure erected can withstand the assaults to be made on it by a strong foe, remains to be seen, but the cement of selfinterest must make the building stronger than, it otherwise would be. As time passes, it is probable that the British and Russian peoples will more understand each other, and agree to disagree, without rancour, about internal policies where these differ. Frankly, Britain is opposed to the Soviet method of Government for lierself, just as the Russians do hot acclaim monarchies. Their experience of life under the Czars was not such as to create dynastic enthusiasm. A bad mistake the Bolsheviks made was the endeavour to force their own doctrines on other countries by world-propa-ganda and trouble-mongering. That attitude created suspicion and resentment, especially as some

of the happenings in Russia shocked the outside world. The Russians were, of course, entitled to choose their own form of administration without interference from outside. Other countries asked Russia to refrain from en-

eourag-ing agitators to make trouble in their borders.

Before the war, there -was evidence that Soviet political enterprise abroad was lessening, and Hitler’s onslaught will now occupy all attention. Mr. Menzies put the case plainly, -when he declared that approval of AngloRussian collaboration against the Nazis, did not mean that those who called themselves Communists, would be permitted now to indulge in subversive tactics as they thought fit. It is unlikely that any further encouragement to these mischief-makers will come from Moscow. The duty of both British and Russian peoples is to forget past bickerings, and concentrate on the task of overwhelming Hitler and his hordes. During the process and afterwards, British influence may teach the Russians that class co-operation is preferable to class hatred, that it is not necessary to destroy the Church because religion is sometimes used as a. cloak for injustice, and that popular liberties must be real and not a term to cover dictatorship. The British may learn Jessons of social value from the Russians, so that some of the gross inequalities of opportunities and earnings will no longer be a blot on the British system. Meanwhile, the dominant thought in British minds should be one of relief that Russia is with the Empire and not against it, as not so long ago looked probable. The new pact is designed to make the best use of Anglo-Russian cooperation, and was a logical development of events. No'opposition can be made to it, except by those die-hards who neither forgive, nor forget.