TITOISM APPEARS IN LATVIA

Wanganui Chronicle, 26 December 1950, Page 8

TITOISM APPEARS IN LATVIA

(By Thomas Harris, Reuter’s Correspondent in Stockholm.) “Titoism” has broken out in Latvia, one of Soviet Russia’s most secret and strongly armed outposts against Northern Europe. Local newspapers smuggled over the Baltic to Sweden and news broadcasts from Riga tell a tale of merciless purges of Cabinet Ministers and other Latvians afraid of the fate which Moscow’s increasing war preparations may be creating for their country. Latvia’s all-Communist Government seems to have been happy enough running the country for the Central Government in Moscow as an “Independent Soviet Republic” • until the Russians ordered a hunt for skilled workers early this winter. A decree was issued ordering all “naval technicians, port servicing personnel, engineers and other technicians” to register with the local labour boards. Most Latvians did so. ■ After a screening by the secret police some-of them were directed to work on the airports, submarine pens, coastal artillery emplacements, barracks and other military establishments being built by Russian and German experts down Latvia’s west coast from north of Ventspils (sometimes called Windau) to south of liopaja (Libau). A considerable number was put to work on a newly opened plant at Ventspils manufacturing electric equipment for submarines. Others were drafted to another new factory making metal submarine nets near Liepaja. Yet others were assigned to Russian-commanded vessels making new soundings and charts of the southeast Baltic. Wherever the men were sent, they were not allowed to take their wives and children with them. They were paid salaries well below their earnings in civilian life. About 11,000 were sent to Russia proper because, the Labour Boards explained, there “is a surplus of skilled workers in Latvia.” This mass withdrawal of skilled workers from civilian production upset the yearly plans which each Latvian industry has to fulfil. This in turn embarrassed Latvia’s Cabinet in its dealings with Moscow, because the Cabinet is formally responsible foi seeing that the plans are carneu out.

Rumours that the Cabinet was “in wrong with Moscow” began to sweep Riga. Confirmation followed quickly. The official Communist newspaper “Cina” announced in a recent issue that Serghei Nikolaivich Gulanitski has been dismissed for “failure to organise and control effectively river transport.” Gulaniski had been awarded the Order of Lenin as lately as last July. Other Ministers purged quickly after him for inefficiency included: The Foreign Minister, Peteris Valeskalns; the Forestry Minister, Skass; and the Education Minister, Karlis Strazdins. “Cina” added that the Prime Minister Professor August Kirchenstein, “has been warned.” The dismissed men were Lasvian Communists who came to power after Russia incorporated their country in 1940. They have been replaced by “Latvians” who have spent most of their life in Russia, like Ivan Ostrovs, the new Foreign Minister, and Samsons, the new Education Minister, or by pure Russans like the new Forestry Minister, Artomiev. Parallel with these purges, party leaders and local administration officials have been dismissed. The “crime” of all the purged men is apparently not merely inefficiency in carrying out the plans, but also resentment against Russia’s policy in Latvia. Usually reliable sources in touch with Riga say that “just as Russia let the North Koreans do her fighting in Asia, so she intends to make Latvia—and neighbouring Estonia and Lithuania—her north-western ’shock absorber’ against the western bombers in any future war.” “The sacked Cabinet Ministers,” these sou.zes add. some of the Latvian people realised this.” Russia would throw her submarines, bomber and fighter squddrons and guided nVsiles from the three Baltic countries against Scandinavia anti North Germany not only because they are suitably situated geographically, but also to keep some of the most important atom bomb targets away from her own western territories. The purged Ministers are reported to have told Moscow that this policy was causing bitterness among Latvians and to have urged the need for better air raid protection. Moscow reaction, expressed in the Russian-controlled “Cina” was promptly to accuse the Ministers of “Bourgeois Nationalism.” “American Imperial.tt Agencies,” the newspaper wrote “have planted their spies and diversionists in Latvia. Latvians are conspiring underground in accordance with western directives. Tlfese underground enemies engage in banditism and rumour spreading, and are attempting to sow hatred against the great Russian nation. Nationalists, they put all their hope in the Anglo-American Imperialists who arc expected to restore Bourgeois Latvia after a war. They praise the former regime and exaggerate National characteristics.”