_ force.

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Pe ha Re AER hee ON TY

2 September 8, 1939

THE ADVOCATE

Pase Three

Promises |
No Blackout

Of Peace

Millions Hear
President Explain
Position of US

WASHINGTON, DC. — Mil-
lions throughout North Ameri-
ea, their radios tuned to catch
the latest developments in Fur-
ope and throughout the world
on Sunday heard President
Roosevelt urge them to “dis-
eriminate carefully between

news and rumor.”

“Do not believe, of necessity, ev-
erything you hear or read. Check
up on it first,” declared the pres-
ident.

Assuring his vast unseén audi-
ence that “as long as it remains
within my power to prevent, there
will be no blackout of peace in the
United States,” President Roose-
velt said he felt it was his duty “‘to
speak to the whole of America.”

“It is right,” the president econ-
tinued, “to recall to your minds
the consistent and at times success-
ful efforts of your government in
these crises to throw the full weight
of the United States into the cause
of peace.

“Tt is right, too, to point out that
the unfortunate events of these
recent years have been based on
the use of force or the threat of
And it seems to me clear,
even at the outbreak of this great
war, that the influence of America
should be consistent in seeking for
humanity a final peace which will
eliminate, as far as it is possible
te do so, the continued use of force
between nations.”

PEACE INDIVISIBLE

It was, he said, impossible, of
course, to predict the future, but
one unalterable fact in modern for-
eign relations must be mastered
at the outset. When peace was
broken anywhere the peace of all
eountries was endangered.

“You are, I believe, the most en-
lightened and the best informed
people in all the world at this mo-
ment,” President Roosevelt told
the American people. “You are sub-
ject to mo censorship of news, and
i want to add that your sgovern-
ment has no information which it
has any thought of withholding
zrom you.

“At the same time, as I told my
press conference on Friday, it is of
the highest importance that the
press and the radio use the utmost
caution to discriminate between
actual verified fact on the one hand
and mere rumor on the other.

Though detachment was passion-
ately desired, the president contin-—
ued, it was impossible to escape
the realization “that every word
that comes through the war, every
Ship that sails the sea, every battle
that is foueht does affect the Amer-
ican future.”

“tt is of the utmost importance
that the people of this country,
with the best information in the
world, think things through. The
Most dangerous. enemies of Am-
erican peace are those who, with-
eut well-founded information on
the whole broad subject of the
past, the present and the future,
undertake to speak with author-—
ity, to talk in terms of glittering
Beneralities, te give to the nation
assurances or prophecies which
are of little present or future
value.

“I cannot prophecy the immedi-
ate economic effect of this new
War om our nation, but I do say
that no American has the moral
Tight to profiteer at the expense
either of his fellow citizens or of
the men, women and children who
are living and dying in the midst
of war in Europe.

NO BLACKOUT OF PEACE

im conclusion President Roose-
velt stated:

“We have certain ideas and
ideals of national safety and we
must act to preserve that safety
today and to preserve the safety
of our children in future years.

“That safety is and will be bound
up with the safety of the western
hemisphere and of the seas adja-
cent theretos We seek to keep

War from our firesides by keeping
war from coming to the Americas.

“It is serious enough and tragic
enough to every American family
in every state in the union to live
in @ world that is torn by wars
On other continents. Today they
affect every American home. It
is our national duty te use every
effort to keep them out of the
Americas.

“This nation will remain a neu-
tral nation, but I cannot ask that
every American remain neutral in
thought as well. Even a neutral
has a right to take account of the
facts. Even a neutral cannot be
asked to close his mind or his con-
science.

“I hope the United States will
Keep out of this war. TI believe it
will And I give you assurances
that every effort of your govern-
ment will be directed toward that
end.

“As long as it remains within my
Power to prevent, there will be no
blackout of peace in the United
States.”

Discriminate Most Carefully, Roosevelt Urges Listeners

in wartime correct information is particularly important and sometimes difficult to obtain.
United States and the Soviet Union, are now neutral and not directly involved in the great wars raging in Europe and
China. Canadians last Sunday had an opportunity of hearin g President Roosevelt in a radio address explain to the Ameri-
can people why the United States is adopting its present position of neutrality.
Soviet parliament on Sept. 1 received scant attention from Canadian daily newspapers.
Canadians should knew why the Soviet Union is at present a neutral power. For these reasons we print on this page ex-
cerpts from the speeches made by Moiotov and Roosevelt.

Two great powers, the

But Premier Molotov’s speech to the
Yet it is equally important that

Molotov Reveals Why Tri-Power Parley
For Military Allliance Was Unsuccessful

MOSCOW, USSR. — Declaring that “people who try to read into the pact what is not contained there” merely testified “to the
futility of criticism advanced by opponents of the pact,” Premier Vyacheslaff Molotev told the supreme soviet last Friday the
non-agsression pact between the Soviet Union and Germany was “directed to promote the interests of all peoples.”

“that now questions of peace cannot be solved without the Soviet Union. All attempts to solve
these questions without the Soviet Union must inevitably end in fiasco. This shows that the Soviet Union exercises a decisive
influence on the international situation.’ :

Excerpts from Premier Molotow’s speech are given below:

Since the third session of the supreme soviet the international situation has not changed for the better, but on the contrary,

“This pact shows,”

has become more tense. Measures adopted by a number of governments to remove this tension have proved insufficient and S
void of results. This applies to the situation in Europe. :

But with regard to the situation in eastern Asia too, there
has not been any change for the better.

Describes
Attitude
Of Soviets

Former Labor
Minister Gives
Personal View

LONDON, Eng. — A re-
vealing light on the recent
unsuecessiul negotiations be-
tween Britain, France and
the Soviet Union for a mili-
tary alliance is shed by Sir
Charles Trevelyan, former
Labor minister of education,
in a letter to the Manchester
Guardian. Written, signifi-
cantly enough, on Aug. 11,
two weeks before the Soviet-
German non-agsression pact
was signed, the letter shows
the attitude of the Soviet peo-
ple, provides an answer to
those who pretend that the
Soviet Union and Germany
are now “allies.”

Text of the letter follows

“I have just returned from
Soviet Russia, where I have tra-—
velled for two months, a sojourn
almost exactly coincidins with
the period spent in Moscow by
Mir Strang. I was able to ob-
serve the atttude of the Russians
to passing events. There appear
te be various explanations which
have obtained currency in Fng-
jand to account for the length
and inconclusiyeness of the ne-
gotiations for a peace pact. But
among them is one which is quite
vntenable—i.e., that the Russians
are unwilling to have the pact.

“Certain factors in Russia are
outstanding in public opinion.
The Russians have no illusions
about the international immoral-
ity of fascism. They regard the
fascist governments without
qualification as the only possible
enemy. While war is generally
regarded as probable, and that
view is far from discouraged by
the government, there is singu-
larly little anxiety about it.

“No one believes that even if
Russia fought alone there is any
chance of defeat. No one seems
to doubt that the Red army could
be a match for the Germans and
Japanese combined. This does
not mean, however, that they are
indifferent to a military pact
against the fascist powers.

“Of course, they have all along
been in favor of a firm common
front to their aggression.

“But about everything the Rus-
siams are ruthlessly realist and
outspoken. They say plainly that
they do not trust Mr. Chamber-
lain. They cannot understand
why if our sovernment has osten-
sibly completely changed its pol-
icy and has decided to distrust
Hitler, the English do not pro-
cure themselves a prime minister
who believes in the policy.

“A supreme interest governs all
their actions. The Russians «
want to maintain peace. They
have an economy which is every
year giving their people a level
of prosperity unknown else—
where. Wages are rising, prices
sre falling. Unemployment is un-
known. Cheerfulness, hope and
confidence are universal.

“They are, moreover, the most
politically educated people in the
world. There is infinitely more
discussion of international poli-
tics than with us. And they
know far better than the bulk of
our people that a firm front of
the Gemocratic powers means
peace. They do not believe that
Hitler would challenge the for-
midable odds he would have to
face, if their armies, larger and
as well mechanized as his own,
were added to the defensive array
of France and Britain. Knowing
this, they want the pact.

he stated,

Japan continues to

occupy the chief cities of China and large parts of China’s terri-
tory and does not cease its hostile actions against the Soviet
Union. Here too the situation has become still sharper. In the
light of this situation the Soviet-German non-aggression pact
bears great positive significance for it obviates the menace of
war between Germany and the Soviet Union.

Im order to determine the full
Significance of this pact, it is first
of all necessary to dwell on negoti-
ations which were conducted in
Moscow in the course of the last
month with representatives of
Great Britain and France. The
Anglo-Prench-Soviet negotiations
regarding the conclusion of a mu-
tual assistance pact against agsres-
sion in Europe began as early as
April.

The first proposal of the British
government was absolutely unac-
ceptable, for it ignored the basic
preconditions for such negotiations,

that is, the principle of reciprocity
and equal commitments. In spite
of this the Soviet government did
mot turn down these negotiations
and advanced its own proposais.
The Soviet government took into
account the fact that for the Bri-
tish and French governments it
would be difficult to make an
abrupt turn in their policy, from an
unfriendly attitude towards the

Soviet Union, displayed only recent—
ly, to serious negotations with the
Soviet Union on the basis of equal
commitments.

French, British Stand
Termed Contradictory

The conclusion of a mutual as-
Sistance pact against non-ageres-
Sion would have meaning only if
Great Britain, France and the Soy-

iet Union agreed on definite mili-
tary measures against the attack
of an aggressor. Therefore, for a
eertain time there took place in
Moscow not only political negotia-
tions but also staff talks with rep—
resentatives of the British and
Hrench armies.

These negotiations were con-
fronted with the fact that Poland,
which the Soviet Union was to
guarantee jointly with Great Bri-
tain and France, rejected military
assistance by the Soviet Union.
Moreover, Great Britain not only
did not attempt to overcome Pol-
and’s objections, but on the con-
trary, supported them. itis clear
that in view of the stand taken
by the Polish government and its
chief allies, the rendering of mili-
tary assistance in the event of
aggression could not be effected.

What have negotiations with
Great Britain and Hranece shown?
These negotiations have shown that
the stand taken by Great Britain
and France is permeated with con-
tradictions. On the one hand they
Gemanded military aid for Poland
against aggression. The Soviet
Union, as is known, was inclined
to meet them half way, provided it
received corresponding aid from
Great Britain and France. On the
other hand, Great Britain and
France brought Poland on the
scene, and Poland determinedly re-
jected military aid on the part of
the Soviet Union.

Qn the one hand Great Britain
and France desired to guarantee
the Soviet Union against aggres-

sion, but on the other hand their
aid was hedged around by many
reservations about indirect aggres-

sion so as to have formal and judi-
cial pretext to avoid rendering aid
and leave the Soviet Union isolated
in event of aggression.

Great Britain and Hrance mani-
fested extreme slowness and an un-
serious attitude towards the nego-
tiations by sending people of second
rate importance and without suffi-
cient powers to conduct negotia—
tions. Suffice it to say that British
and French military missions ar-
Yived in Moscow without definite
powers and without the right to
Sign any convention. The British
military mission arrived in Moscow
without any mandate in general
and only after demands by our
military mission, on the eve of the
breakdown of negotiations, did it
present its written credentials
which were of a vague character.

Such a light-hearted approach is
tantamount to an attempt to dis-
eredit negotiations. What were the
reasons for breakdown of negotia-—
tions? In brief they reduce them-
selves to the following:

Qn the one hand the British
and French governments fear ag-
gression and in view of this they
wish to conclude a pact with the
Seviet Union, since this would
strengthen both Great Britain
and France. On the other hand,
these governments are afraid to
conclude a serious pact of mutual
assistance with the Seviet Union,
for such a pact could strengthen
the latter and this dees not cor-
respond to their ambitions. it
must be admitted that the latter
considerations outweighed all
others.

‘Obvious We Could
Not Count On Pact’

Only thus can one understand
the position adopted by WPoland,
which acted at instructions of
Great Britain and France. Our de
cision to conclude a non-agpression
pact with Germany was adopted
when negotiations regarding mili-
tary agreement had reached a dead-
lock, which showed us that we
eould not count on a mutual as-
Sistance pact.

We had to set ourselves the ques-
tion of securing peace by other
ways and obyiating the menace of
war between Germany and the
Soviet Union. If British and French
governments did not wish to reck-
on with this, that is their right, but
Gur task is to think of the inter-
ests of the Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics, all the more since we
are firmly convinced that the inter-
ests of the USSR coincide with the
basic interests of the peoples of

ether nations.

Wou are all aware that in the
last six years, ever since the ad-
vent to power of the National So-

Cialists, relations between the Sov-
jet Union and Germany have been
strained. It is likewise known that
despite difference in world outlook
and political systems, the Soviet
government has sought to establish
business and political relations with

Germany.

The German government made
@ proposal to resume negotiations
for a trade and credit agreement.
By means of mutual concessions 2
trade and credit agreement was
Signed. This agreement compares
with other similar agreements. The
Soviet Union did not possess such
favorable agreements with Eng-
land, France or other countries.
This agreement will help promote
economic construction and consoli-
date the defence capacity of the
USSR.

When the German government
expressed the desire to improve
also political relations ,the Soviet
Union had no grounds for rejecting
this.

i

A\nti-Sabotage
Patrol On Duty

A sentry of the Essex Scot-
tish regiment, silhouetted
against the skyscrapers of
Detroit, walks his post on the
Canadian shore of the De-
troit river, as the Dominion
took steps to guard its canals,
locks and other strategic

points.

USSR Now Exercises
Decisive Influence

Some people ask with 2 naive
look on their faces: How could
the Soviet Union agree to im-
prove political relations with the
fascist state? They fail to under-
Stand that this is not a matter
of our attitude to the internal re-
Zime of the country concerned,
but of foreign relations. The Sov-
iet Union stands for non-interven-
tion in the domestic affairs of
other countries and will net per-
mit intervention in its own do-
mestic affairs, no matter from
what quarter.

Stalin said at the 18th Congress
of the CPSU (B): “We stand for
peace and the strengthening of
business relations with all coun-
tries. That is our position; and
we shall adhere to this position as
long as these countries -maintain
like relations with the Soviet Union
and as long as they make no at
lempt to trespass on the interests
of our country.”

The meaning of these words is
clear. The Soviet Union seeks to
maintam good neighbor relations
with all countries. The basis of
policy of the Soviet Union was in
the past and is now the GDeninist
principle of peaceful co-existence
of the Soviet State and capitalistic
countries. Since 1933, the Soviet
Union has had a non-aggression
pact with fascist Italy. Nobody
has objected to this pact. i

The Soviet Union also has non-
aggression pacts with other coun-
tries, whose semi-fascist regime
is well known. But the Soviet
Union has no such agreement with
certain bourgeois democratic coun-
tries, for example with Great Bri-
tain, and this is not the fault of the
Soviet Union.

There has been since 1926 a
neutrality pact between the Sov-
iet Union and Germany- This
pact was prolonged by the pres—
ent German government But a
real improvement in political rela-
tions with Germany has only be
come possible now, 2fter the
signing of the non-aggression
pact True, it should be remem-—
bered” that we are dealing not

Tee

with a mutual assistance pact,
but only with a non-ageression
pact.

Under present conditions it is
difficult to overestimate the signifi-
cance of the non-aggression pact
between the USSR and Germany.
The date of the conclusion of this
pact Should be regarded as an im-
portant historical date. It marks
the turning point of international
polities of Hurope and not only of
Europe alone. Only yesterday the
Soviet Union and Germany were
enemies in a sphere of foreign poli-
tics and now they have ceased to
be enemies.

The art of politics in foreign
affairs consists not in multiply-
ing the number of one’s enemies
but in diminishing that number.
One must be able to maintain
good neighbor relations with yes-
terday’s enemies.

As a result of this, the theatre
of hostilities is considerably nar—
rowed, even if it should prove im-
possible to avert such hostilities.

The Soyiet Union is blamed for
the fact that the non-aggression
pact contains no point providin=
for its denouncement in the event
of aggression perpetrated by one
of the signatory powers. But such
a point was not included in non-
ageression pact between Poland
and Germany, nor in the Angilo-Ger-
man declaration. Why then cannot
the Soviet Union permit itseli what
Great Britain and Polanag permit-
ted themselves?

There are people who try te
read into the pact what is not
eontained there. All this testifies
to the futility of criticism acdc-
vanced by the oppenents of the
pact.

The non-aggression pact is di-
rected to promote the interests of
all peoples. This pact shows that
now questions of peace cannot be
solved without the Soviet Union.
All attempts to solve these ques-
jtons without the Soviet Union
must inevtitably end in fiasco. This
shows that the Soviet Union exer-
eises a decisive influence on the in-

ternational situation.

pees a ore ee