PEACE IN EASTERN EUROPE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 14 January 1929, Page 5

PEACE IN EASTERN EUROPE.

SOVIET’S SECOND NOTE TO POLAND. POSITION OP LITHUANIA. (Australian Press Association—United Service.) LONDON, Jan. 12. Moscow messages report that the Soviet’s second Note to Poland expresses satisfaction at the Polish Government’s readiness in principle to accept the Soviet proposal. Referring to the statement in the Polish Note regarding the desirability of inviting other eastern European States- to participate in the protocol the Soviet Note of December. 29 made it perfectly clear that any State might join the protocol. Regarding Lithuania the Soviet says only the recent Polish-Li'thuania relations aroused serious fears for the fate of European peace and Poland herself requested the League of Nations to discontinue the state of war between herself and Lithuania. Therefore, the Soviet Government believed that Poland would welcome its invitation to Lithuania to join the protocol. The Soviet Government’s aim was to bring about as speedily as possible the operation of the Kellogg Pact, even if only between a number of States.

The Soviet believed the hope expressed by Poland for clarification in the near future of the attitude of the fifteen States which signed but have non ratified the Kellogg Pact, ought not to have prevented Poland accenting .the Soviet proposal and signing the proposed protocol., This would have a great moral effect. Soviet-Polish relations would be of greater importance to peace if for one reason or another ratification of the Kellogg Pact by all the other fifteen signatories should be delayed for a considerable time.