AID TO RUSSIA

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24102, 22 October 1941, Page 4

AID TO RUSSIA

Sir, —Lord Croft is reported in the Herald of October 20 as saying, "The Germans will almost certainly come at Batum and Baku across the Caucasus by the spring. If this is so, the Iran frontier becomes vital to us, first in supporting the Russian defence of Baku if the.v "'ill let us," etc. Those words "if they will let us" strongly suggest that there is some objection by Russia to allowing British forces into that area. It is possible that, just as the Polish Government would not allow Russian forces into Poland to defend Poland, so the Rub-

sian Government will not allow British forces into the Caucasus for a similar reason —that the British Government might wish them to stop there after the war, or might use them to upset the Russian system of government.

This attitude of suspicion might he justified by the actions ol the Allies after the last war. and by a good deal that has happened since, hut that would not make it any the less dangerous, even disastrous. If the suspicion exists, it could probably he removed only bv the strongest possible assurances from both the Governments and peoples of Britain and the Dominions that there is no such intention. T.M.