Russia’s Return To “Old Imperialism”

Northern Advocate, 1 February 1940, Page 8

Russia’s Return To “Old Imperialism”

" While "Izvestia” is at pains to deny that Soviet policy is a return to the old Russian Imperialism, the Germans seem to know better.

The Zeesen broadcast has just quoted with approval an estimate given by the German-controlled “Narodny Listy,” one of the Prague newspapers in the Czech language, which declares that Moscow is not initiating a new policy, “but has returned to the classical policy of the Russian Empire." This colossal change of front (it adds) is to Stalin's merit. Molotov’s declaration (at the end of his recent speech) that a strong Russia needs a strong Germany, expresses a thought already expressed by Catherine the Great.

No Great Power in C. Europe,

Neither Russia nor Germany will ever consent to the re-establishment of a great Power in Central Europe. Incidentally, “Pravda,” the Communist Party newspaper, now under the influence of M. Zhdanoc, does not try to hide the imperialist nature of Soviet policy as much as “Izvestia,” the official organ of the Soviet Government.

“Pravda” refers to Czarist examples; “Izvestia” dutifully declares that M. Stalin’s policy is not on any account to be confused with that of Peter the Great, which was concerned only with selfish Russian interests.