STALIN WARNS JAPAN

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18992, 17 April 1936, Page 11

STALIN WARNS JAPAN

THREAT OP WAR JF MONGOLIA ATTACKED EUROPE'S DANGER POINT MOSCOW, March .1. M. Stalin, the dictator of JUtssia, declared to-day that the Soviet is prepared to go to war with Japan, if necessary, to preserve the independence of "her ally, the Mongolian People's Kcpublic," Outer Mongolia. He was speaking to Mr. Hoy W. Howard, president and editor of the New York World Telegram. -Mr. Howard referred to the dashes between Japanese and Mongolian troops which have been increasingly numerous lately. He asked M. Stalin what the Soviet attitude would be if Japan launched its Jong-predicted military drive towards Outer Mongolia. M. Stalin said: —

"If Japan ventures to attack the Mongolian People's Kepublie, and seeks to destroy, its independence, we shall have to help that republic." "M. Litvinoff's assistant, M. Stonioniakoff, recently so informed the Japanese Ambassador in Moscow. "We will help that republic in the same way as we did in 1921."

ivf, Stalin was referring to the occasion when .Soviet troops supported the Mongolians against xtussian "Whites," backed by Japanese.

He was next asked if a Japanese attempt to seize Ulaubator, the capital of Outer Mongolia, or l/.anbaior, would make positive action by tne Soviet a necessity. The reply was an unequivocal " Yes."

'' HMO ULDEIMN G MEN AC E." Turning to Europe, Mr. Howard said that the Soviet appeared to uolievo that Germany and i'oland nave aggressive designs against JUissia and are planning military co-operation. i He pointed out that Poland had declared her unwillingness to permit foreign troops to use her territory as a basis of operations against a tuivd nation, adding: "How does the Soviet Union envisage such aggression by Germany? Prom what position and m what direction would German military forces operate?" M. Stalin replied: "I do not know what; specific frontiers would be best adapted lor German purposes, but 1 think they will Jind a people prepared to lend them a frontier." Asked when he thought the next great war would come, if at all, ho remarked: — "It is impossible to say. It may come very unexpectedly. Nowadays, wars tire not declared. They simply start. "However, I feel that, the position | of* the friends of peace is improving. 'They have tho advantage of being able to work in the open, through such instruments as the League of Nations, .with the assistance of a powerful public opinion. They nave tremendous support, in the objection ■to war shared by the masses of all 'nations. There is to-day no people wanting war.

"In my opinion," M. .Stalin went on, "there are two focal points of danger—one in the Par' East, in the zone of Japan, and tho other in Europe, in the zone of Germany.

"It is difficult to say which is th 6 most menacing war danger. They both exist and both are smouldering. "Compared with either of these the Italo-Abyssinian war is an episode. "At the moment, perhaps, the situation in the Far East is the more menacing, but the centre of danger may shift 1o Europe.

"Evidence of this was in Herr Hitler's recent interview with a Paris newspaper, in which his statement, although pacific iu terminology,' carried with it threats against both France and the Soviet Union.

"It is symptomatic that even when Herr Hitler speaks of peace he cannot dispense with threats." PROPAGANDA DENIED. M. Stalin blamed capitalism for the war danger, saying:— "You recall the origins of the last war—the desires ,0t great Powers ;.o redivide the world? To-dny we vace the same state of affairs.

"There are certain States which feel that they have not shared equally in the distribution of territories, markets, raw materials, spheres of influence, and so on." Mr. Howard then asked whether there was not an element of danger iu the fear of capitalist, countries that the Soviet would seek to force its theories on other nations.

"There is no justification for that fear," M. titaliu replied. "If those to whom you refer believe that the people of the Soviet Union have any desire to alter the face of things by force, or change the established, order in surrounding States by force, they are entirety mistaken. "The people of the Soviet Union would naturally like to see the face of things changed in the outside world, bur that matter is the business of the surrounding world itself."

M. Stalin was then asked: "Does that, mean that the Soviet Union has, to any degree, abandoned ils plans and intentions for bringing, about world revolution?"

"We have never hud any such plan or intention," he answered. "To attempt to export revolution its nonsense. Without the desire within a country there will be.no revolution.

"The Russian people desired revolution. They brought it about, and we are engaged in building a classless society. But to presume that we want to bring about revolution in other countries by interference in their national life is unwarranted." He added that the Soviet Government did not assist, or finance propaganda in otlier countries. ■When Mr. Howard remarked that Soviet Russia had not yet achieved Communism, but only State Socialism. M. Stalin said: "No. Communism has not been achieved in the Soviet Union, so far. Tt is not easy. But your term, State Socialism, is not. exact. "The Soviet system is fnndomebitnlly Socialistic because there is t" private ownership in factories, land, banks, railways, mines, and so on. Our system, which is not. yet quite completed, is Socialistic because the foundation of our society is common State ownership.

"Under Socialism a certain inequality as to property remains. Everybody is obliged to work and be compensated, not according to his needs, but according to the quantity

and quality of his work. That is why wages are not equalised. ''Only that; society can be called Communistic in which people are compensated, not on the basis of- the quantity and quality of work produced, but. on the basis of their needs. "American democracy and tho Soviet system can ovist and compete peacefully", but one can never develop into the' oilier. Soviet democracy will never evolve into American democracy, or vice I'ersa.—B.TJ.P.