SPECULATION ON RUSSIAN MOVE

Southland Times, Issue 23932, 26 September 1939, Page 7

SPECULATION ON RUSSIAN MOVE

FRANK COMMENT IN SUNDAY PRESS ELUCIDATION OF ALLIED WAR POLICY • (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, September 24. At the end of the third week of war two questions are uppermost in the public mind and the Sunday newspapers make a feature of both. Surprise at the Russian move in Poland has given place to speculation as to its effect on the situation. Mr J. L. Garvin in. The Observer largely devotes himself to consideration of this and arrives at the conclusion that so far “the fourth partition” of Poland has worked very much to Russia’s advantage. He points out that Russia has advanced "to a line north and south which, on the average, is 150 miles from her former frontier.” Mr -Garvin adds that thus between the Baltic States and the middle Carpathians the Russians hold “all the strategic and political points famous in old and later wars and are commanding the rivers, roads, railways and the disputed racial areas. In addition the desired Carpathian oil fields have been lost to Herr Hitler, who is left with the task “of incorporating madly in his mixed empire 30,000,000 Slavs who cannot be subdued in the soul. In the long run they will give him and his system mortal wounds.” “Although Moscow; may give supplies to Germany,” he says, “they will not be to the degree of the Nazi expectation. The Soviet is working for herself, and is likely to follow the advice of the Rus-'an statesman Gortschakoff ‘not to labour on behalf of the King of Pruss Remembering the epic stories of mass fighting which occurred in the first few weeks of the last war many people comment on the lack of reported movement and incident in the opening of the present campaign. “Scrutator,” in The Sunday Times, opportunely devotes an article to the elucidation of Allied war policy. He frankly admits that the rapid collapse of Poland was a great disappointment and suggests that had Russia not intervened and had the Poles been able to hold on for another month—as there seemed every prospect of their being able to do—the Polish Army might well have been able to turn the “notoi'ious Polish mud” to good account against the immobilized German mechanical army. TRIBUTE TO POLISH ARMY In a tribute to the Polish Army he says: “Whoever is to .flame for the Polish collapse it is certainly not the common soldier. The resistance at Warsaw and elsewhere shows of w.—t splendid military material he is made.” Referring to British and French policy, “Scrutator” 'says: “Germany’s present problem is the reverse of that of 19-4. Then she had to force lines to win. Now she hopes +o win merely by defending her own and by forcing us to attack.”

“Scrutator” suggests that the Siegfried Line, although, not so strong or so favourably placed -as the Maginot Line, is far stronger than any German fortified position in the last war and points out that it can only be breached as the result of long and careful preliminary work. Any policy of mass frontal attack would be exactly what Germany would wish and would be unlikely to 1 d to victory, quickly or slowly. “Victory in a war consists not in inflicting loss the enemy or even in the ratio of losses inflicted and received, but in convincing the enemy that he cannot possibly win. “The foundation of victory is our complete command of the sea. Germany ht._ made no .ccret of her fears. She w; -is a ort war and is anxious not to be drawn into a long military struggle.” SUCCESS OF FRENCH CONVOY SYSTEM LINERS CROSS ATLANTIC WITHOUT DANGER (Received September 25, 8.10 p.m.) LONDON, September 25. The French Navy is using the convoy system so successfully that several big French liners, carrying thousands of passengers including many Americans, crossed the Atlantic without the slightest danger, says the Paris correspondent of The Daily Telegraph. The North African, and other trade routes, are also functioning without interruption. DRAFT OF NEUTRALITY BILL PRESIDENT’S POINTS COVERED (Received September 25, 11.20 p.m.) WASHINGTON, September 24. The final draft of the Neutrality Bill has' been completed, and the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (Senator Key Pittman) predicts that the committee will report favourably. Senator Pittman says the draft covers the President’s points and makes an important addition which he- declines to disclose, but he claims that it is more neutral than the present Act.

It hinted an important addition to the Neutrality Bill, said Senator Pittman. It also strengthened the provision prohibiting American ships carrying the passengers and freights of belligerent countries, he said. A message from Panama City states that several delegations to the PanAmerican Conference suggested an extension of territorial waters only differing on the width of the proposed “primary defence band.” It was reliably stated that opinion was crystallizing in favour of 300 miles. The proposal was not registered formally, pending the plenary session tomorrow. It may then be advanced jointly by majority and juridiction. The-assistant secretary of State (Mr Sumner Welles) will outline the position of the United States at tomorrow’s session. RUMANIA MOURNING PRIME MINISTER FUNERAL ATTENDED BY KING CAROL . (Received . September 25, 7.10 p.m.) ' NEW YORK, September 24. Rumania is still mourning M. Armand Calinescu, the murdered Prime Minister, whose funeral King Carol, Crown Prince Michael and high officials attended, says the Bucharest correspondent of the Associated Press of America. Thousands witnessed a procession to the railway station after a funeral service at the Athenaeum. The body was placed aboard train for the family home, Curtea de Arges, and from there to a grave on a farm cart drawn by six oxen.