SOVIET POLICY

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21183, 5 August 1940, Page 9

SOVIET POLICY

REACTION IN BRITAIN RELATIONS WITH NAZIS LONG WAR EXPECTED • United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, August 3 The speech by the Russian Foreign Minister, M. Molotoff, on Thursday to the Supreme Council of the Soviet Union continues to provoke the reflection of independent commentators, although official quarters have had nothing to add to the confirmation given yesterday that the appointment of Sir Stafford Cripps as Ambassador to Moscow did represent a desire on Britain’s part to reciprocate the wish which, it was believed, existed in Moscow for an improvement in relations between Britain and the Soviet. The point which is frequently made is that the perspective of M. Molotoff’s speech will be lost by anyone who fails to remember that the main aim of Russian policy is to keep out of the war. Russia knows very well that no intentions hostile to Russia are entertained in London, and that, whatever differences may exist or might occur between British and Russian policy, it is contrary to Britain’s declared principles to have resort to force for their settlement. Extension of Influence On the other hand, the regulation of German and Russian interest calls for the most careful and tactful handling. Some shrewd observers of the diplomatic scene, indeed, deduce from M. Molotoff’s speech that the Nazis have found it wise in the present circumstances to concede fresh accommodation on account of Ribbentrop’s Moscow pact, and they anticipate a further extension of Russian influence in eastern and northeastern Europe. These writers argue that, if they are right, it would have been maladroit for a Russian spokesman just now to have left in dubiety what, on the contrary, M. Molotoff was at pains to affirm, namely, the amicable conformity of “the fundamental State interests of the Soviet and Germany.” On a longer view, no such illusions are possible in Moscow. A feature of M. Molotoff’s speech which has been noted with interest by more than one commentator is his obvious expectation of a long war. Russia does not apparently rate very highly the Nazis’ chances of delivering against Britain a knock-out blow. M. Molotoff observed: “The end of the war is not yet in sight. It is more probable that we are now on the eve of a new stage in the intensification of the war between Germany and Italy on the one sideband England, assisted by the United States, on the other.” It is significant that these references to the duration of the war have been omitted from the versions of the speech broadcast by Nazi statesmen to German listeners.