A STRONG RUSSIA INSISTS ON PEACE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 89, Issue 264, 8 November 1945, Page 5

A STRONG RUSSIA INSISTS ON PEACE

WILL ACT TO PROVE WORDS

INTENDS TO BE MASTER OF ATOMIC ENERGY

MOLOTOV’S REVIEW OF SOVIET’S FOREIGN POLICY

Recd. 8 p.m. London, Nov. 7. “The Soviet Union will master the secret of atomic energy and many other things, ’ ’ said the Soviet Foreign Minister, Mr. Molotov, speaking; in a broadcast to his countrymen as they began celebrations of the 28th anniversary of the October Revolution. Mr. Molotov said that the Russian nation had emerged as a strong nation from the recent war. It desired peace, and would act to prove its words that it stood for the rights of small nations. He called on Russians to plunge into research with “Bolshevik energy.” He added: ‘‘Russian technique must be raised to equal that of the rest of the world.” Mr. Molotov said the defeat of Germany meant not only the defeat of German Fascism, but the defeat of Fascism in other European countries. The Russian victory was a military, moral and political undoing of Fascism in the whole of Europe.

“The Russians realise with satisfaction that in the victorious conclusion of the second world war in the interest of democrats States a decisive place goes to tne Soviet Union,” he said. “The Russians not only liberated their own country, but are now conducting a heroic fight for the restoration of peace and liberty throughout Europe.” Humanity, in allowing the second world war, by not taking timely measures against the aggressive forces of Fascism, had paid an incalculable price in human lives and ruin. RUSSIAN LOSSES Detailing the Soviet Union's losses during the war, Mr. Molotov said that. 70,000 villages had been destroyed and 25,000,000 persons rendered homeless. Six million houses had been destroyed and 31,000 industrial buildings and 85,000 collective farms destroyed or damaged by fire. Mr. Molotov said that 1710 towns were destroyed and partly burned. The Germans drove off and killed 7,000,000 horses, 17,000.000 head of cattle, 10,000,060 p : gs and sheep. A Russian Extraordinary Commission estimated the direct damage caused to national economy at £26.000,000,000. “We must receive at least partial retribution from the enemy for these enormous losses,” he said. “The threePower conference in Berlin has not yet taken satisfactory action to implement decisions concerning German reparations.

“We must not be guided by revenge, but must ensure that renewed aggression shall be made more difficult, and that any new aggressor shall find himself isolated among the nations. Safeguarding an enduring peace demands that peace-loving peoples should possess the necessary armed forces. This, in any case, applies to all countries which bear the main responsibility for ensuring peace, but the interests of safeguarding peace have nothing in common with the policy of an armaments race among the Great Powers—a policy which is being nreached abroad by some, particularly the arduous supporters of Imperialism.” AGAINST BLOCS OF NATIONS “We, for our part, have done everything to establish normal good relations with other States, which have discarded a policy of hostility and distrust towards the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union never participated in groupings of nations directed against cne peace-loving nation. Such attempts are being made in the West. The history of blocs and groups of western Powers shows that they did not serve so much to restrain aggressors, as, by contrast, to encourage aggression primarily on Germany’s ptrt. This is why vigilance by the Soviet Union, and other peace-loving na- .

tions should not be relaxed.” Mr. Molotov said that it was significant to the future of Europe that a number of Fascist and semi-Fascist countries had turned democratic, and now were striving to establish friendly rekitions with the Allied Governments. They should be assisted in consolidation of democratic beginnine?. He added that some foreign newspapers were trying to attribute radical social reforms in numerous European countries to an increasing influence of the Soviet Union. The inconsistency of such arguments was obvious. because it was known -that all problems of this kind were successfully solved long ago bv other progressive European, countries. Mr. Molotov said that much still remained tn hn done to ensure a correct implementation nf the Crimean declaration. “The British-Russian-American anti-Fascist coalition, born during the w°r now was being tested. “Will the cna’ition prove as strong and capable in a common solution of new conditions when more post-war problems arise?” Mr. Molotov asked. “New problems awa't us with the advent of neaco. The failure of *h-> London Conference of Foreign Ministers is -» warning to us in this respect, but difficulties between th-' British-Soviet coalition existed even dvrin-’ the war. ar-d although thes« diffi p ult*es haye not always been immediately solved v n managed to achieve our purpose. The rights and voices of a nl sme’t rations were respected and hea’-d. Tbn ni-oblerrs wore solved thov shonid h<* among democratic Po’-.-or-’. I F ACTnr N ATIONS CONDEMNED “It is obvious that the United Natlon.'' organisation must not resemoie the League of Nations, which proved completely incapable of preventing aggression and organising measures against possible aggression. The new organisation must not become a weapon in the hanas of some Power, or a pretence for a guiding roic in international affairs by one Power, or a pretext for world domination. Only rhe combined strong* h o; all the power which was carried on their shoulders in the burden of war ensured the victory— only such co-operation can ensure the smooth working of the International Organisation in the interests of a lasting peace. “The Soviet Union always has b> on, and will remain, the mainstay oi the defence of peace security of Unpeoples. It is ready to prove this, not only by words, but by action. Tn,* Red Army emerged from the war with the glory of victory. It has consolidated itself as a military power, aim throughout Russia the fighting spirit ha, grown yet stronger. “Millions of people are returning home to peaceful work. ?4illions wih be needed by factories, enterprises, collective farms and by our motherland. which is now embarking on a solution of new problems of socialist

construction. The Russian people re more closely gathered round their party than ever before. The people now march forward as an organised body, under the leadership of the party of Lenin and Stalin.” Mr. Molotov said the Russians’ contact during the war with other nations would widen their horizon. “Under an agreement. Czechoslovakia, Transcarpathia and Ukraine at last have become part of our State,” he said. “The Soviet Ukraine now embraces all ;he Ukrainian territories. This is something our Ukrainian brothers dreamed about for centuries. The frontiers of our country westward extended to include Konigsberg, which gives us a "ood, warm water Baltic port. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have been restored to us. This is of great importance, ensuring the Soviet Union's security. In the northwest we restored our frontiers with Finland and in the north control the Petsamo area. The Soviet Union in the Far East, receives the southern nart of Sakhalin, the Kurile Isles, ensuring the safety of the Soviet Union in the east.

“There now remains only the Russian right regarding Manchurian railways. Port Arthur and the south part of Manchuria. “We must, within the next few years, raise our national industry markedly above pre-war levels and ensure a vast improvement of the standard of living of the entire population. We need a new upsurge in our trade and industry to give the So' iet Union all she needs.

“We have no unemployment anil shall have none. Wc shall kee[. abreast of the world in all branches of industry. The enemy interfered with our peaceful work, but we shall catch

Reuter’s Moscow correspondent says Generalissimo Stalin was not present at the celebration meeting.