Kankakee Valley Post, Volume 9, Number 46, DeMotte, Jasper County, 5 October 1939 — WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS BY JOSEPH W. LaBINE Russia Becomes New Factor In East European Diplomacy; Baltic, Balkan States Worry [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS BY JOSEPH W. LaBINE Russia Becomes New Factor In East European Diplomacy; Baltic, Balkan States Worry

(EDITOR’S NOTE—When opinions are expressed in these columns, they are those of the news analyst and not necessarily of this newspaper.) Released by Western Newspaper Union.

THE WAR: In the East In 1916 the late Lord Balfour told his British cabinet brothers that “the more Russia is made a European rather than an Asiatic- power, the better for everyone.” His thesis: That Germany would then be forced to divert attention to the east. Lord Balfour’s wish came true in late September when Russia and Germany split Poland. (see \iap), agricultural Russia getting more farm land which she doesn’t need, and industrial Germany getting more manufacturing facilities which she doesn’t need. But there was nothing to indicate this split-up pleased France and Britain, for Germany and Russia had become fast friends and were upsetting every applecart in eastern Europe. Except for Warsaw’s heroic resistance, the w ? ar in Poland was over. But there was plenty of other

trouble. Pro-Nazi Iron Guardists in Rumania assassinated Premier Armand Calinescu and a reign of terror began as his successor executed other Iron Guardists as an object lesson. Under similar conditions of internal strife, other nations (Austria and Czecho-Slovakia) had been invaded by Germany. While Germany turned her eyes westward, Russia closed the Neva river and thus stopped export of Finnish lumber to England (because cellulose, essential in gunpowder, comes from woodpulp). Next the Kremlin w r as host to a flock of visitors, including little Esthonia’s Foreign Minister Karl Setler who found his nation under big Russia’s thumb. Latvia and Lithuania also w r atched, because Russia covets the Baltic sea outlet which any of these three nations could give her. Another early arrival w-as Turkey’s Foreign Minister Sukru Saracoglu, indicating increased Soviet sw T ay over the Black sea. Yugo-Slavia and Hungary were rumored anxious to restore diplomatic relations, for the Kremlin was definitely in eastern Europe's saddle. At Sea After nearly a-month of war. the Score on losses stood at 29 British Ships, one French, nine German and hine neutral. Scandinavian nations pegan suffering as two Swedish and two Finnish boats (both carrying woodpulp to England) were torpeclocd by Germany. Miscellany at Sea: The Polish liner Batory w T as placed in Canadian service as a munitions carrier. C. A U. S. Mediterranean destroyer, the Jacob Jones, saved a British steamer from submarine attack off Portugal. it Germany announced sinking an ujnnamed British destroyer. hi the West As a construction crew works harder when the boss is watching, so did Germany’s army put its shoulder to the western front w r hen Der Fuehrer and Col.-Gen. Walther

von Brauchitsch arrived from Poland. Gone was the last chance for peace (See WAR OF WORDS I and the lethargic fighting of earlP weeks developed into serious w. \j fare. Though French-English troop repulsed the Nazi sorties staged for Adolf Hitler’s benefit, the real battle was yet to come when Germany's 70 divisions arrived from Poland. Seizing,, time bv the forelock. British and French planes reportedly bombed the Friedrichshafen Zeppelin works and ponnded their way right up to the main S.egfried line. II nr of If ords Biggest revelation of the week was Britain's “blue book” on prewar diplomacy, showing that Ambassador Sir Nevile Henderson had been warned on August 16 that Russia would join the Reich in partitioning Poland. This disposed nicely of the Soviet excuse that she had marched to protect Poland's Ukrainians and*White Russians. Biggest propaganda news was the British announcement that Germany's “freedom” radio station was active again, urging people to desert Herr Hitler. But the biggest word battle of all was found between Rome and London. To Bologna Fascist leaders, Dictator Mussolini pointed out that Poland was “liquidated’’ and that the justification for war was therefore ended. Next day a British spokesman reiterated Prime Minister's earlier recitation of Britain's war aim: “To redeem Europe from the perpetual fear of German aggression.” II Duce's peace feeler had tailed. PAN AMERICA: Job, Opportunity Undiplomatic as happy kius who know a secret are U. S. business men who stand to profit from South American trade expansion during the European war. In late September, while 22 American nations met at Panama City to weld their friendship and neutrality, there was much bustling among tradesmen in New York and Washington. The National Economic and Social Planning association. said the U. S. stands to gain “tremendously” in Latin-Ameriean trade, but was wise enough to warn that expansion must proceed on the "basic principle that the only justifiable purpose ... is to benefit all concerned.” Next day American Express company’s Lynde Selden announced his firm was opening a chain of Latin-Ameriean offices to help the U. S. in a boom trade he expected would reach nearly $300,000,000 a year. Gone are the days of U. S. “dollar diplomacy” in Central and South America, a policy which reaped as much ill will as it did profits. But there is every indication that Eu-

rope’s new war will indeed bring a trade boom, moreover that U. S. profits this time will be instigated jUst as solidly by our southern neighbors as “dollar diplomacy’s” profits were instigated by American profiteers. This turning of tables was obvious at Panama City. First off, the conference talked about neutrality and a 300-mile defense network around the entire hemisphere, in which belligerent activities would be banned. But U. S. Undersecretary of State Sumner Welles drew just as much attention as neutrality. While longhostile Argentina was negotiating a reciprocal trade treaty in Washington, Undersecretary Welles was kept busy explaining why his country could not arrange more financial aii like it recently extended to Haiti, Nicaragua, Paraguay and Brazil. Reason: Congress’ failure to pass the lend-spend bill. Thus the Ex-port-Import bank, which financed Brazil’s recent purchase of 14 freighters, could not underwrite a similar bid from Chile. Though he bore no gifts, Undersecretary Welles could go back home with a pretty good idea of the job and opportunity confronting the U. S. in Pan-America relations: To “carry” its economically strapped markets until world markets are restored to normal.

POLAND'S PARTITION For each, more of the same.

SUMNER WELLES AND WIFE He bore no gifts.