RUSSIA AND THE LEAGUE

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 19 September 1934, Page 6

RUSSIA AND THE LEAGUE

Though there are no illusions harboured in Europe regarding Russia’s reasons for joining the League of Nations, her acceptance as a member is an important and hopeful event. For one thing, it immensely strengthens the League’s claim to universality. Russia is four times as large as Europe and has a population of more than 160,000,000, . a population which is increasing at the phenomenal rate of 3,500,000 a year. For another, it brings to Geneva a power sincerely, even passionately, anxious to keep the peace and to provide material sanctions for the keeping of the peace. “The Soviet Union, which has no territorial ambitions and is absorbed by the task of economic socialist reconstruction,” said Stalin recently, “needs peace as one needs air, it needs it for the growth and development of the proletarian state.” It still remains to be seen what will be Russia’s attitude to the Third International and the philosophy of “world revolution.” In its recent agreement with the United States the Soviet Government gave an undertaking “not to permit the formation or residence on its territory of any organisation or group which has as an aim the overthrow of the political or social order of the United States.” It will very soon be possible to discover exactly where the Soviet Government stands in the matter. Within a few weeks there will assemble in Moscow the first plenary congress of the International, since 1928. The attitude of the Russian delegates will show clearly whether or not the Soviet Government means to co-operate wholeheartedly with other governments.