SOVIET GRIP ON BALTIC

Southland Times, Issue 23942, 7 October 1939, Page 5

SOVIET GRIP ON BALTIC

TWO NEW PACTS SIGNED FATE OF LITHUANIA AND LATVIA EEPORTS' OF PRESSURE ON FINLAND (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received October 6. 10.50 p.m.) LONDON, October 5. Two more small Baltic States, Latvia and Lithuania, have joined Estonia within the orbit of Russian influence, marking more swift advances by the Soviet’s northern diplomatic offensive and enabling her to dominate the eastern Baltic.

It was announced from Moscow tonight that Russia and i Latvia have signed a pact of mutual assistance. The terms are:—

(1) Mutual assistance, military or otherwise, against aggression by a great foreign Power, either by sea or land through Estonia or Lithuania. _ (2) Russia will supply the Latvian army with all necessary arms and equipment. (3) Latvia agrees to the establishment of Soviet naval bases at Libau and Windau and of air bases and coastal batteries at strategic points, where a limited number of Soviet troops will be accommodated. (4) Both countries will refrain from forming alliances or coalitions which could be directed against either signatory.

' (5) The pact will not affect the sovereignty of either country. The territory where Soviet bases will be established will remain Latvian but will be leased to the Soviet on reasonable terms. (6) The pact will be ratified and in operation within six days. It will remain in force for 10 years and if not denounced after nine years will continue in force for another 10

years. The Lithuanian Government is reported to have agreed in .principle to accept Soviet proposals for considerably increased trade transit on the Romny-Vilna-Libau railway and the return, ethnographically, of the Lithuanian part of the Vilna district, says a message from Riga. It is expected that the return of Vilna will take place on October 9, the anniversary of the Polish occupation 19 years ago. Finland is also the subject of Russian pressure. The inhabitants of the Aaland Islands, commanding the trade routes to Sweden, Finland, Russia and Germany, are disturbed by reports that the Russians are seeking naval bases in the islands. DEMANDS ON LITHUANIA It is believed that the Russian proposals to Lithuania considerably exceed the original expectations, says the Kaunas correspondent of The New York Times. Apparently Russia is making military demands such as those exacted from Estonia. Besides a railway from Vilna through Schaulen to Libau, it is thought that the Russians are demanding an air field and a garrison on the railway junction. The Lithuanian Cabinet has not arrived at a decision. The semi-official newspaper Lieutovos Aidas significantly states that the Government is forced to make decisions of “historical importance” and requests the people, in the face of such decisions, to observe national discipline. The Helsingfors correspondent of the British United Press says that Russia’s demands for additional territory on the west coast of Estonia threaten to produce an Estonian Cabinet crisis. The military leaders are reported to be contemplating resigning because of the difficulty of agreeing with the Soviet about the disposition of the Soviet forces in Estonian territory. The Rome radio station reports that 600 Soviet aeroplanes and 800 pilots have arrived at Kronstadt to await transfer to the islands of Dago and Oesel, off the Estonian coast. Latvia has accepted a German proposal to send a trade delegation to Berlin next week.

SOVIET OPPOSED TO EARLY PEACE DESIRE TO KEEP NAZIS OCCUPIED ■ (Received October 6, 9.50 p.m.) NEW YORK, October 6. The Soviet’s sudden pushing of the “peace offensive” has upset the calculations of foreign observers, says the Moscow correspondent of The New York Times (Mr G. E. R. Gedye). The sheet anchors of Soviet policy have been that it would not go to wai’ and that it would do everything to ensure that the war is not ended quickly. It may be that the Soviet realizes that there is no question of Britain and France stopping before the Nazi menace is destroyed and feels that it can safely indulge in elegant peace gestures without the danger of acceptance. Alternatively, it may feel that acquisitions of territory"in Poland and an advance in the Balkans will make Russia secure.

Russia fears that a patched-up peace in the West will free Germany, enabling her to turn to Russia, who desires a breathing space to consolidate and construct fortifications. The cessation of the conflict is wanted by Russia before she is called on to fulfil her economic obligations to Germany, which would be impossible without wrecking Russia’s entire economic machinery. GUNFIRE OFF COAST OF DENMARK ■3 LONDON, October 5. Gunfire was heard throughout the day of October 4 off the west coast of Denmark, possibly from fighting off Heligoland.