SOVIET LEADER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22823, 6 March 1936, Page 7

SOVIET LEADER

A SPECIAL INTERVIEW ATTITUDE TO MONGOLIA (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON, March 4. A British United Press message from Moscow states: — "If Japan ventures to attack the Mongolian people's republic and destroy its independence we shall help the republic," declared M. Stalin in a special interview, "the same as we did in 1021 against the Russian Whites, backed by the Japanese. Any .attempt to seize the Mongolian capital, Urga, will make positive Soviet action." SITUATION ON FRONTIER LONDON, March 3. The Sun-Herald agency's Berlin correspondent says: "There is an atmosphere of mobilisation like Europe in 1914," declared Mr Arthur Donald Bate, foreign editor of the China Press, describing the situation on the Russian-Manchukuan frontier on his arrival in Berlin after journeying on the trans-Siberian railway. Mr Bate says the Russians think the trouble will start in the spring, when the weather improves. MENACING WAR DANGERS LONDON. March 4. (Received March 5, at 5.5 p.m.) The Stalin Interview was given to Mr Roy Howard, editor of the New York World Telegram, who asked M. Stalin where he thought the next great war would come from, if at all. M. Stalin continued: " Nowadays wars are not declared, they simply start. However, I feel that the position of the friends of peace is improving. They have the advantage of being able to work in the open through instruments such as the League, with the assistance of powerful public opinion. No people to-day want war. On the other hand the proponents of war must work in the dark, which might tempt them to act in desperation, Tn my opinion there are two focal points of danger, one in the Far East in the zone of Japan, and the other in Europe in the zone of Germany. I have in mind numerous statements of Japanese military men containing a threat against other Powers. It is difficult to say which is the more menacing war danger. Both exist and both are smouldering. Compared with either of these the ItaloAbyssinian war is an episode. At the moment, perhaps, the situation in the Far East is more menacing, but the centre of danger may shift to Europe, evidence of which is contained in Herr Hitler's recent interview, which, though pacific in terminology, carried threats against France and against the Soviet." M. Stalin added that the FrenchSoviet pact was a certain obstacle to the enemies of peace. He the opinion that capitalism furnished the chief war menace owing to the desires of great Powers again to divide the world. There was no justification for the fear in capitalist countries that the Soviet would force its theories on other nations.