WESTERN POLICY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23471, 7 October 1939, Page 11

WESTERN POLICY

SEASONS FOR CHANGE BALTIC STATES AND POLAND DIFFERENCES IN TREATMENT By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Rereiiod October 6, 8.50 p.m.) NEW YORK, Oct. 5 The Moscow correspondent of the New York Times, Mr. 6. E. 11. Gedye, states that Russia's sudden pushing of the peace offensive has upset the calculations of foreign observers. The sheet anchors of the' Soviet policy have been first that tliej' would not go to war and secondly to do everything to ensure that the war is not ended quickly. Maybe Russia realises there is no question of Britain and France stopping before the Nazi menace is destroyed, and feels she can safely indulge in elegant peace gestures with no danger of their acceptance. Alternatively, she may feel that her acquisition of territory in Poland and her advance in the Baltic States render her secure from the fear of a patched-up peace in the West, which would free Germany to turn toward Russia. Mr. Gedye adds that, with a desire for breathing space to consolidate and construct fortifications, she wants a cessation of the conflict before she is called on to fulfil her economic obligations to Germany, which are impossible without wrecking Russia's entire economic machinery. Article 5 in the pact with Latvia, and a similar clause in that with Estonia, states Mr. Gedye, indicates the difference between Russia's attitude toward the occupied Polish territories inhabited by fellow subjects of the Soviet Ukrainian and White Russian States where there has been full military occupation coupled with the overthrow of the feudal Polish landlords and the capitalist system and the introduction of Soviets, and its establishment of military bases and control of foreign policy in these two Baltic States, where Russia has implicitly promised not to attempt to disturb the capitalist system. This indicates that Russia intends to retain permanently W bite Russia and the Ukraine, and also furnishes international Communists with grounds for criticism of Russia's opportunist policy. Russia finds it necessary to free Ukrainians and White Russians from the capitalist yoke, yet in the Baltic States, virtually at her mercy, she leaves the proletariat in "chains."