Soviet's Negotiator
M.IJ., Lond.)
When on the morning of the 4th (Translated from the German by W. Rees Harriss, May of last year the news spread abroad in Europe that Litvinoff had been overthrown, and that Molotov was his successor, there could only have been a few who were acquainted with the name of the latter: This was somewhat remarkable ng Molotov had been
sars of the Soviet Union, a posi-
to
some
already for nine years Chairman of the Council of the People's Council of the People's Commis- tion corresponding somewhat that of prime minister in European States. He still keeps this position in addition to tha of Minister of Foreign Affairs. On the other hand this was not sur- prising, because Molotov belongs face is not the index to the mind, to that Russian-Asiatic type whose and indeed to a European ob- canese. The disaster of Server his appearance seems
most entirely without interest. Of Taranto the loss of an unassuming exterior, medium. three Italian battleships, height, loose hair, he is one whos
al.
whole appearance reminded one
ot
is now definitely confirm- of the Russian intelligenzia' ed robs II Duce of the pre-War days: With their some
what limited provincial outlook; most obvious retort, to there is nothing brilliant or any- give battle to the British striking about him. A Fleet.
As things stand, his dilemma is acute. If the attack on Egypt is not soon launched, it never will be. It would not be
pebbie Lolished by the griding stream of the Revolution and cast up to the surface.
However, it perceived that with the deposition was, everywhere of Litvinoff, a definite phase of the foreign policy of the Union ot Soviets had come to an end. Lit vinoff was generally overrated n the European stage, upon which
T
surprising therefore if he smoothly but oiten grotesquely
He never belonged signs of activity at Sidi moved.
the inner circle of the Soviet Ad- Barrani were soon detect-ministration. He was always ed.
213
agent merely, and was utilised as a facade by Stalin in that period when it was the concern of the
Kremlin to make a pretence
mocracies.
in
He knows no foreign language, and even in Russian he is handi- capped by an impediment of speech, The only characteristic which, when men ion is made of Molotov, is always repeated, is his fidelity to Stalin." He is à tenacious organiser, for whom the foreign political field is not en- tirely new, since he for years functioned as middle-man between Statin and Litvinoff:-----
|
With his taking over of the Commisariat for Foreign Affairs, the "Stalinisation" of Soviet-Rus- sian diplomacy was first, really brought to fruition; -- Of the three Jews who occupied the Embassies in Rome, Paris and London, Stein, the Ambassador in Home, has dis- appeared. The termination of the careers, of the others is only a malter of time. This is all in Recordance with the new policy, ramely, the elimination of Jewish iniluence; and, as Stalin himself 'sald a few months ago, "the Soviet Union does not intend any longer to take the chestnuts out of the fire for the democratic Powers."
Litvinoff's fall must be attri- buted to the fact that he was too compliant vis a vis England. After the entry of Molotov into office the representatives of the Western Powers were again and again re- bulled. What signification could this have? The Kremlin wished to use the opportunity to demon- strate that the Soviet Union, which since the mis-carriage of the Red-Spanish adventure, seem- ed to have been squeezed Dut diplomatically from Europe, did, not in end to re-enter upon the political chess-board as
a mere
pawn. Pursuing this line of action. matters were so arranged that British negotiations ended in fai- lure.
Italy's forces are said
Molotov is universally known of respects to that of one of the old, ready in the last days of Lenin n to be ready for an ad-levelling up to the Western de Bolshevik revolutionaries,
sung opponent of frotzsky, in in Moscow by the nickname of deed almost the only opponent in
'the steel back," an untranslat vance along the coastal
uble play upon Stalin's .name,. While still a school-boy he be- the then Soviet bureaucracy. road towards Alexandria.
the nine years in which he work which means steel. It is clear Molotov is in many ways just came connected with the Com-ed as Chairman of the Council of, that the Kremlin believes that the In the East she has been the opposite of his predecessor immista. and was banished to the People's Commissars, he has policy that was ushered in with so long meditating an ad- He is Russian and was formerly stain on the editorial staff of the Congresses, and in them hardly a sd with the Soviet's entry into
Litvinoff, who was of Jewish birth. Siberia. In 1917 he worked with made many long speeches at Party the pact with France and continu vance on Khartum from called Skrjabin. The name Molo- then illegal "Pravda," and, later, single, original thought is to be the League of Nations, must be
tov-it means something Kassala and on Port Su-
like in the Revolutionary Committee found.
cast overboard as having been 'hammerman'--he assumed
unsuccessful. (as which prepared the October ris-
New alignments. dan, which is Khartum's Stalin did) during the Great War ing. Since then he has been in Like Stalin he is that type of must be made, and Molotov will natural link with
revolutionary nom-de- the train of Stalin. in his
the former Bolshevik revolution- be the cold-blooded executor of the
guerre. The career of the 50 year-opment from phase to phase, ary who has never lived out
of these. Twentieth Century," Ber- outer world that the old Molotov corresponds in all'as his true shadow.
lin. Russia.
as a
he W
Hitler's Star May Wane In
our
un-
The East
as the only alternative to his their victories over iveak Powers failure to frighten us by his in Europe notwithstanding. Blitzkrieg into making peace.
initiative is passing The third report of her hopes to cross Egypt's deserts from the depths of Libya and, after five hundred waterless miles, to reach Though the war round
coasts and over our cities and the Nile at Wadi Halfa
the threat of invasion from the seems the fruit of some-French ports continues to en- one's too heroic imagina-doubtedly a source of anxiety to
gage public attention, it is tion. She may strike at Hitler and Mussolini that we can Alexandria across the de- spare more than a little thought to the Mediterranean; thought, sert to make an alterna moreover, backed up by strong
The Inner War against Britain reinforcements to
Mediter- tive threat to the one
He is, in fact, and of necessity, is now opening, in Egypt; a de- ranean Beet,; and to our armies repeating Napoleon's strategy. feat of the Axis on land in this along the coast, but she is and Air Force in Africa.
historic country may well prove
Hence the hardly likely to go lower
The diplomatic activities upon its Waterloo. Comings and goings between which Hitler and Mussolini arewhelming importance or pending than the
Mediter Berlin, Rome, and Madrid have engaged point to what may be events in the Eastern which itself is two hun-Gibraltar and its neighbourhood, Inner War.
been concerned primarily with called an Outer War and anranean.
dred miles from the sea while in the Eastern Mediter
and the Arab and provides difficulties in ranean, Syria
world are receiving blandish- plenty. We shall not un-ments from Italy; and to back derestimate the Italians; those blandishments up in
East, as in Spain, Britain
Siwa
oasis,
our
the
is
they had little opposition being represented as "practically" in Somaliland, but made beaten.
in
of war
Hitler is about to stage. his attack on the British Empire
.
over-
The relative strength of the
the The Outer War is concerned | opposing forces on
Libyan with the raising of the blockade and Sudan trontiers are not gen crally known, though the numeri cal superiority of the Italian armies at the moment is widely assumed.
By- Capt. Bernard Acworth, D.S.O., R.N.
: Sea-Power The Key
But the key to this military campaign still lies with sea po- wer. So long as we are dominant į in the outer seas, our-Inpd. and air forces can be steadily" re- inforced, and supplied from the East and round the Cape from the .West.
We have an army of incompar able soldiers in the Near East and a great reservoir of ·rein-. forcements at home and in the.... Dominions.
The Arab world, and the Pales- tine Jews, are coming,. together with Britain to resist the onslaught on our common liber- ties
as
Between Germany and the scene of coming.conflict le Turkey and Syria. By sea alone so far can at present be foreseen - can German and Italian rein- African forcements reach their armies.
Importance Of Bases
Threatening that narrow .sca- crossing is the British Navy, strongly reinforced within the last few weeks..
But the Navy must have a secure base from which to operate in the Eastern Mediter ranean: hence the importance of Alexandria, and other minor bases for small craft such 25 Haifa and Cyprus.
none of the expected mis- Here, then, is the diplomatic takes and did things easi- prelude to the opening of what inay well prove to be the greatest ly-like the advance along naval and military drama that
the Mediterranean has seen the coast
--which people its thousands of years In high places said they experience. could not do at all. Be- yond their talents they have great superiority in numbers, for what it is the canal, at which Italy worth in a region injaims, lies the oil which which numbers are hard Germany cannot for long
Hence the feverish efforts of to maintain. Against do without. The assault the Axis to obtain the means of them we have the promise on the free Empire may making Gibraltar untenable of Egyptian aid, and we begin at any moment, the Navy, and, to a less degree, have there some of the from other points as well With these two sea-gatos, se- inest troops to be found as Egypt, and it is indeed curely in our hands, the blockade in the Empire. The fleet, the greatest challenge we of Europe will go on regardless which Italy always feared have ever faced. But be- of military developments within
its stranglehold. to engage, has been en-cause the only good fu-,
arged. To-day the Near ture for the world hangs has been joined since the day
That, briefly, is the strategical East is more important on our success we shall that war was declared; In spite
of severe losses and anxieties it position with which the British than Britain, for beyond stand firm and gain it. has gone hanvily ngainst the Axis, Commonwealth is faced.
of the Mediterranean; If this remains intact, it must render any military successes within the blockade barren, because If, however, our dominance in There is no doubt that Hitler and Mussolini had calculated on they cannot win for Italy what side' the Mediterranean were she must have cargoes from successfully challenged, the Axis the ability of their bombers and dominate these the extra-European world, could reinforce their African and submarines to
Near Eastern armies across the narrow seas and thus to sterilise narrows of the Mediterranean hoped to do in the English Chan- our seapower, just as Hitler had
The war would thus become nel. a vast land campaign-a verit
Aden.
for
The Outer War-the blockade--
:
able Armageddon in that little But just as Hitler has been dis- corner of the world forecast appointed here, so is. Mussolini there. The as the scene of the great battle being disappointed
of the nations and the theatre Navy keep the sea while the In which Hitler, in his recent Italian battle fleet lurks in har- Sporispalost speech, prophesied | bour. that "millions must die? If we refused to be intimidated into 'making peace.
ì
In the coming weeks the land the battle for Alexandria, and intrigues to sterilise our blockade at Gibraltar from the land, will share with the attack on Britain the attention of the world;