MOSCOW PACT

Grey River Argus, 5 August 1940, Page 3

MOSCOW PACT

With Germany MOLOTOV’S SPEECH DISCUSSED [British Official Wireless] (Received August 4, 6.30 p.m.) RUGBY, August 3. The Soviet Foreign Commissar, M. Molotov’s speech on Thursday last to the Supreme Council of the Soviet Union continues to provoke reflection on the part of independent commentators, though official quarters have had nothing to add to a confirmation given yesterday to the statement that the appointment of Sir S. Cripps as Ambassador at Moscow represented a desire on Britain’s part to reciprocate a wish which was believed to have existed in Moscow for an improvement in relations between Britain and the Soviet.

The point which is frequently being made is that the perspective ol M? Molotov’s speech will be lost by anyone who fails to remember that the main aim of Russian policy at the present time is to keep out of the war. Russia knows very well that no intentions hostile to Russia are entertained in London, and that, whatever differences may exist or might occur as between British and Russian policy, it is contrary to Britain’s declared principles to have resort to force for their settlement. On the other hand, the regulations of German and Russian interests calls for the most careful and tactful handling. Some shrewd observers of' the diplomatic scene, indeed, deduct from Thursday’s speech of M. Molotov that the Nazis have found it wise in the present circumstances to conceue fresh accommodation on account of Herr von Ribbentrop’s Moscow past, and they anticipate the further extension of Russian influence in eastern and north-eastern Europe. These writers argue that if they are right, it would be maladroit for the Russian spokesman, just now, to have left in dubiety what, on the contrary, M. Molotov was at pains to afford, namely, an amicable conformity of “the fundamental state interests of the Soviet and-Germany.” On a longer view, no such illusions are possible in Moscow. A feature of M. Molotov’s speech which is noted with interest by more than one commentator is his obvious expectation of a long war. Russia does not, apparently, rate very highly the Nazis’ chances of delivering Britain a knock-out blow. M. Molotov observed, “The end of the war is not yet in sight. It is more probable that we are now on the eve of a new state in an intensification of the war between Germany and Italy on the one side, and England, assisted by the United States, on the other.” It is significant that these references to the duration ol the war have been omitted from versions of the speech broadcast by Nazi statesmen to German listeners. Lithuania VOTED INTO THE SOVIET (Received August 4, 6.30 p.m.) MOSCOW, August 3. M. Stalin attended the Soviet Parliament, which unanimously voted Lithuania as the fourteenth Soviet Republic.