SOVIET RUSSIA.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 225, 22 August 1945, Page 4

SOVIET RUSSIA.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —In reply to "C.Tf's" questions ! in order as they appeared. (1) The Soviet attitude to Britain ivas the j direct cause of the war. In August, 1939, this attitude culminated in the j Soviet's refusal of an alliance with Britain while concluding a pact with Germany. During 191 S-39 Britain regarded Russia with justifiable suspicion because (a) the Soviet-German treaty i of Brest-Litovsk enabled the Germans i to break through Gough's Army in j March-April, 1918, and almost cost | Britain the war; and (b) the Soviet I never concealed its hostility to Britain j or ceased its anti-British propaganda ; ! does "C.T," remember the Arcos House affair ? (2) 'J'he Versailles Conference was concerned with world peace; it recognised that the Soviet openly advocated civil war, and therefore sought to confine its influence. (3) Lloyd George did say that Bolshevism was as dangerous as German militarism, and events have proved him right. (4) Foch did propose an expedition against the Bolsheviks; a disunited France took no action, as it took no action when Germany reoccupied the Saar and ic-mill- : tarised the Rhincland. In 1940 Franco \ paid the price of both these failures to j deal with a potential menace. (5) Churchill urged help for the White Russians and described Bolshevism as "foul baboonery"; i it was, and is, an apt description. .All this didn't stop the Russians and their local henchmen from fawning on Churchill | when he sold the Poles at Yalta. (6) : Churchill favoured action against the Bolsheviks and peace with the Germans; at; that time Germany was under the Weimar j. Republic and showed distinct signs of be- | coming a Democracy. This didn't suit | either Nazis or Communists, who joined forces to oust the Democrats, each intending to double-cross the other; the Nazis' were slicker. (7) I am not interested in | what Fascism believed, only in facts. . (8. 9 and 10) Britain did assist Kolchak, \Vrangel, and other anti-Red Russian loaders with arms and supplies; for reason see ' (1) above. Britain desired to see a sane, stable, and friendly Government in Russia, ;' but she was war-weary, her effort was half-hearted, and she /ailed. (11) What ' assistance Britain did give must have cost the British taxpayer a lot of money, but it should be remembered that the bulk of these supplies were arms and munitions, all of which were war surplus, and would otherwise have been destroyed. (12) ■ The Soviet estimate of the damage caused by Britain is exaggerated at least a him- ; drcdfold. Only a few thousand British j troops wore landed, and these were at Archangel, the Black Sea ports, and in Georgia, where there was little damage \ other than that caused hy Red artillery and exuberance. In any case the Soviets ' repudiated a debt of £900,000,000 duo to : Britain, so they're well on the right side. Finally, if "C.T." will make it clear to i which Soviet offer he refers, I will endeav- ] our to oblige.—Yours, etc., IMPRIMATUR.