RUSSIA'S PLEA

Thames Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 19825, 30 September 1936, Page 4

RUSSIA'S PLEA

"LEAVE US ALONE." NATIONALISM REPLACING BOLSHEVISM. Professor T. Hytten, economic adviser to the Bank of New South Wales, in an address at the luncheon of the Sydney Rotary Club yesterday, said that much of the mutual fear between Russia and neighbouring countries was needless. "There may be little squabbles in Russia," he declared, "but in my opinion there can be no real big upset to the Communist regime. The old Communism is being replaced largely by Russian nationalism, and Russia has abandoned to a great extent its propaganda in other countries, and is concentrating on making its country self-sufficient and satisfied. "Russia's plea is 'Leave us alone.' It wants peace to work out its own affairs, but how far Russia will be allowed to develop on these lines is a riddle which I will not attempt to answer." Professor Hytten , gave instances of Russia's fears, and spoke of barbed wire entanglements on the Polish frontier and of soldiers on high observation towers watching for something to happen. One of the greatest problems in international affairs to-day, he said, was fear, and this had started the senseless armaments race. Visitors to Berlin were impressed by the fear there of Russia. When the position was analysed, it appeared that the chances of a Russian military offensive were almost nil. Russia had long lines of communication, and its transport system was badly developed. Professor Hytten referred to the impression made in Moscow by the passage in Herr Hitler's book "Mein Kampf," containing rather blatant references to Germany's supposed designs on Russia. He had asked the Russian Foreign Minister (M. Litvinoff), "Why bring up a statement made 10 years before, and written by Hitler when he was an oppositionist?" M. Litvinoff's answer had been to reach for the book on a shelf and point out that the statement had been repeated in a recent edition. In Berlin,-Professor Hytten said, he had discussed the matter with a high German official, and had asked him why the offending passage had not been excised from the book. The answer was: "Professor, one does not alter the Bible." The tendency was for Russia to become more Westernised, Professor Hytten declared. This was apparent in its new buildings, in its underground railway* and its marble architecture, and its wonderful lighting system, and in the gradual rising of the' standard of living in the country. Russia's oversea trade position had been stabilised, and the country was no longer keen on foreign credit, as it paid very largely in gold. It was well on the way to self sufficiency, and was now exporting manufactures to Turkey and Persia—countries, perhaps, which were not "fussy" as to what they got. The standard of living had been extraordinarily low since the revolution. There had been even cannibalism in parts of Russia, and people who were aged between SO and 40 had grown up in absolute want. What they were enjoying today was to them a life of plenty, and this was the real driving force behind the people there to-day.