RUSSIA AND THE BALTIC

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23941, 17 October 1939, Page 6

RUSSIA AND THE BALTIC

Among various smaller European countries neutrality is proving a somewhat uneasy, if not actually precarious, condition at the present time. Particularly this applies at the moment to the Scandinavian States and to Finland. There can be no indifference on the part of Sweden, Norway and Denmark to the fate that awaits Finland. The immediate problem confronting her is the question of the means by which she may hope to maintain her neutrality in the face of the proposals for a closer relationship that are being made by the Soviet to her Government. In all, nine States, including Germany, Russia and Poland, have shared the Baltic coast. A few months ago Germany was regarded as certainly contemplating a drive for prominence in the Eastern Baltic. She has in almost dramatic fashion withdrawn from that arena in favour of Russia since the conclusion of her pact with the Soviet. Whether her leaders realised that the pact would be exploited by Russia as it has been in the Baltic may be a matter for conjecture. The attitude of Germany has, however, been open to the interpretation that she has been prepared to accept as inevitable the payment of a heavy price for her understanding with Russia, even that of an unheroic abandonment of past Nazi claims to exercise control of the Baltic and be the protector of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania against Bolshevism. Presumably by way of atonement for this, Germany has planned the evacuation of her nationals from these States and their return to the Reich. That the colonists are anxious to leave the soil to which they have been rooted in some cases for generations is not very apparent, and the transport arrangements do not seem to be working" according to programme. It cannot be imagined that the effect of the Soviet's assumption of control in the Baltic is entirely calculated to assist the promotion of friendly feelings between Germany and Russia. The outcome of the Soviet pressure upon Finland is yet to be seen. Against odds Finland is struggling to maintain her independent position. The Soviet proposals for the discussion of which a Finnish delegation has been visiting Moscow have been the subject of considerable speculation, but have not yet been made definitely known. If they include, as with Latvia, a pact of mutual assistance, Finland's neutrality is at stake. Should Russia fail to keep her peace pacts with Finland, the other Scandinavian States must be deeply concerned. They have had reason enough to take seriously Nazi propaganda for the establishment of a Nordic Europe, comprehending political union between Germany and the Scandinavian countries, under, of course, Nazi direction. They may now find a great deal of cause to transfer their apprehension to Russia, and to speculate upon what may be the real Nazi-Soviet understanding. But there is ground for judging that the policy of Russia in the Baltic has actually become disturbing to Germany, and that the relations between the two Governments are being subjected to a certain degree of strain in consequence of all that has been happening in that arena. It is reliably reported that there has been some issue of Nazi propaganda at the expense of Russia, with the object of influencing the attitude of the Scandinavian countries, and also that the atmosphere of the Russo-German trade talks has not been favourable. According to the Moscow correspondent of the New York there is no likelihood of a commercial agreement that will be of substantial help to Germany in the prosecution of the war.