SOVIET'S AIMS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23930, 4 October 1939, Page 7

SOVIET'S AIMS

NEXT MOVE AWAITED APPREHENSION INCREASING MAY FIGHT AGAINST ALLIES SIGNIFICANT COMMENT (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) ;.:;!■ .4?' ■'";•' ..,;.' ;.'■■;v ipNDON, Oct. 3. ~;,'. i .'■-. (Received Oct. 3, at 10.45 p.m.) The Moscow correspondent of The Times says newspaper comment strengthens the impression that the Soviet is definitely rangedon Germany's side. This ,js not surprising, having regard to the gains Russia has been allowed to make in the Baltic, but it increases the general suspicions that Russia intends to enter the war against Britain and France if the Russian-German peace move fails. Others, • however; express the opinion, having regard to the speed with which Russia is moving, that she may have realised her own war aims before the question of entering the war had arisen, and she. may think these gains more defensible as a neutral than as a belligerent. SOVIET DEMANDS ON LATVIA The ;New Tork,Times correspondent, Mr G. E. Gedye, in 1 message from Moscow, says: . • * "It is believed that the Russian demands on Latvia include the right of warships' to use Latvian territorial waters. Members of the Red Army and Navy have gone to Tallinn to select sites for aerodrome, and. arrange garrisoning. THE SOVIETS BLOODLESS VICTORIES Mr Gedye: gays the Soviet' is moving from one .to another diplo'itiatic! triumph with increasing speed, except with, the obdurate Turks. The. Lithuanian Foreign Minister will arrive by air' tomcorbw/ Of all the-Jaltie States/Whose refusal to accept the British, French and Russian guarantee of independence contributed to the breakdown pf; the .'Peaces negotiations,- only Finland has not yet moved towards the sacrifice of her independence. It is difficult to, see how .Finland's attitude is able to differ from that of her Baltic neighbours when she is called by Moscow. ' . The Soviet will then almost bloodlessly have established '•■'.■,,/keJfself in the very position that France, Britain, Poland and the Baltic States feared she might finally demand as the .jjriice of her assistance against Germany, biut a price paid, ; , unfortunately for the Allies, without agreement.. Without military Action the' Soviet will then have restored Russia's influence over practically all, the Czurist territories of which the great Powers deprived her in order to prevent tho spread or Communism. The Rumanian Foreign Minister ;is next scheduled to visit Moscow, but lie intends, to see. the Turkish Foreign Minister previously: Rumania's decision may differ from that of the Baltic States for there is no Turkey or Power comparable With Turkey's strength within reach of the Baltic States. <: ' I. NEGOTIATIONS WITH TURKEY :..'" The Turks announce that the departure of Bay Saracoglu, Minister of Foreign Affairs, has again been postponed, but' there have been no further meetings with M. Molotov. The Embassy has been informed that new instructions are coming from' Ankara, and Bay Saracoglu- will continue the conversations, informing the French and British diplomatic officials of the Russian proposals. "The Russian-Turkish deadlock continues. The Turks are determined not to sign anything that provides for Turkey's unqualified neutrality or unqualified neutralisation of the Straits." Y -The Moscow correspondent of The Times says it has been reported that the Soviet demands from Turkey include the closing of the Dardanelles,' a mutual assistance pact, and abandonment of the Turkish obligations to Britain and France. COUNT CIANO'S MISSION TO BERLIN , The Rome correspondent of the New York Times says: "Count Ciano returns to Italy without yielding an inch of Italy's neutrality. That much is clear about a singularly negative visit. Italy will remain friendly with Germany but will go on her own way militarily. It is still possible: that some important agreement will be reached, the fruits of which will be visible dramatically later, but there is nothing to indicate that that is so. There are signs that Germany intended to make the visit more spectacular and more important than Italy wanted. It is possible that Hitler promised, to support Italy in the Balkanst but the Italians do not see, how Hitler can repair the damage he has done. The newspapers have obviously been ordered to play down the story and give no prominence to the German communique. Everything points to Italy wanting a negative result from Count Ciano's visit, and it looks as though she got what she wanted." HITLER DISSATISFIED' WITH ITALY A second correspondent (Mr Otto Tolischus), in a message to the New York Times from Berlin, says: ' "While Imperial Bolshevism is rapidly pushing its own 'lebensraum' into the sphere hitherto pre-empted by Imperial Nazi-ism, the Rome-B;rlin Axis .suffered an audible crack to-day'as Count Ciano returned to Rome at the earliest expected moment and amid negative circumstances, suggestive of a show down between the two. The perfunctory communique issued is bare of the usual phrases about complete agreement and the atmosphere of hearty unanimity customarily accompanying such a meeting. "The press pays a tribute to Italy's magnificent peace policy, m accord with the Russian-German peace offensive, but it can be definitely stated officially that, no- Itahan-German diplomats steps •have been taken to transmit the German' peace offer to England and Fiance, nor arrangements made for any five or seven Power conferenceisuch assignor Mussolini envisaged. Further developments await Hitler's Reichstag speech.- ;: "Berlin diplomatic circles believe that Hitler is most dissatisfied with Italy's general reticence, especially her refusal to give even moral suoport to the Polish venture. It is stated officially that the point discussed was the effect on the Axis of either a successful peace or continued war. This is taken to mean that Hitler definitely questioned Count Ciano whether Italy will join the war. ; !'Emphasis is laid on the informative nature of Count Ciano's Visit. The fact that he is returning to report to Signor Mussolini indicates that a definite answer has not yet been given, which may account for the delay in Hitler's speech, but judging by the vagueness of officials and the tenor of the press comments the German expectations of an affirmative answer are not high. Some wellinformed Germans are even asking whether it is possible that Italy will join England and France. Significantly increasing emphasis is laid on Germany's desire not to subjugate or Germanise any nationality, holding out hope of a degree of Polish autonomy, which may be one of the principal features of Hitler's speech designed to save the face of England and France if they decide to surrender the Polish cause." > '