AMERICA’S HOPE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 263, 4 October 1940, Page 7

AMERICA’S HOPE

DISCOURAGE SOVIET

EROM AIDING AXIS

(United Press Association —Copyright.) Received October 4, 9.5 a.m. WASHINGTON, Oct. 3. _ Administration sources said to-day that tbe United States is attempting’ to discourage Russia from joining tbe Japanese-1 tal-ian-German alliance.

It is disclosed that informal Russian and American conversations have been resumed in Moscow as a continuation of those between Mr Sumner Welles and M. Oumansky (Soviet Ambassador) which collapsed partly because Russia demanded more liberal privileges in the United States for Russian “tour CT ists,” whom the United States contended were very often Communist agitators. Washington officials felt there was a greater possibility of success in dealing directly with high Russian officials than M. Oumansky, whom Mr Welles is reported to dislike personally. So Mr Steinhardt, when in Moscow last month, was instructed to take up the conversations there. He lias been conferring intermittently with M. Molotov and is reported to be making some iieadway. The Administration sees little chance of Russia actively co-operating or combating the political and military ambitions of members of the tripartite pact, but hopes Russia may be persuaded to remain inactive, especially in the Far East.