Gareth Jones
[bas relief by Oleh Lesiuk]
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The Western Mail, April 11th, 1933
SOVIET READY FOR WAR
ACTIVE MILITARY PREPARATIONS
Why She Will Never Attack Another Country
ATTITUDE
TOWARDS THE LEAGUE
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By
GARETH JONES
The
foreign policy of the Soviet Union is emphatically one of peace. If there
is any stable factor in this ever-changing world of ours, it is the fact that
Russia will never attack. Russia will never attack because her internal
position is too weak. An army cannot fight without bread, and although the
Soviet Government has good reserves for the Army, it is not enough to enable it
to embark on a big military campaign.
Russia will not
attack because the peasants would either rise or would refuse to deliver grain.
A war would place weapons in the hands of the population and would mean the
overthrow of the régime. Russia will not attack because throughout her
territory there are national minorities waiting for the war-drums to beat in
order to gain their independence. In the Ukraine, the Home Rule movement is
ever growing and the Ukrainians hate the Great Russians with increasing
bitterness.
Russification
The policy of
Russification which the soviet Government began about two months ago will
increase the rebellious feelings of the Ukraine and will weaken Russia’s
military strength.
In Georgia the
nationalists are increasing their strength and there are many underground plots
to overthrow the Soviet régime. In Central Asia national movements are
ever strong and have been fanned by Moscow’s tolerant policy of encouraging
native languages and literature. These minorities are waiting for war in
order to rise. Thus Moscow will avoid foreign conflicts.
Russia will not
attack because her transport is too disorganised to send troops across long
distances. This fact explains the forbearance of Russia in the Manchurian
dispute.
Fear of War
Fear of war
explains Soviet Russia’s policy. Lenin prophesied that the capitalist
nations would launch an attack on the Soviet Union. To prevent this Russia
has sought friendship with all the nations on her borders. She refuses to
belong to any group of nations for fear she will be dragged into a conflict.
She refuses to make any alliance for the same reason. Thus she has offered
and has signed Pacts of Non-Aggression with a number of countries, including
Poland and France. There has recently been a rapprochement between the
Soviet Union and France.
One nation
refused to sign a Pact of Non-Aggression with Russia and that nation was Japan.
This refusal has led many Soviet observers to fear that Japan is planning to
attack Russia.
Attitude to the League
The Soviet Union
dislikes the League of Nations because it is a capitalist organisation and
because it has many members which do not recognise Moscow, but it has
co-operated energetically at Geneva on the question of disarmament. The
Soviet Union has recently hoped that the United States would give it diplomatic
recognition. But these hopes have been dimmed since the arrest of the
British engineers, and now it is not probable that America will send an
Ambassador to Moscow. Close relations between the United States and Russia
are, however, not out of the question because both countries are united by fear
of Japanese expansion.
Spread of Militarism
In spite of the
Soviet Union’s desire for peace, there has been a great spread of militarism
in that country. Flamboyant posters show the need for defence.
Children in school are given gas-mask demonstrations and are taught how to
shoot. In a village at least a thousand miles from the nearest frontier I
was informed that the peasants had been taught how to use gas-masks. The
Society for Aviation and Chemical Defence is a flourishing organisation, with
twelve million members spreading its influence throughout the factories and
offering training ground for those about to join the Army. Military
aviation has made great strides in Russia. Great stress is laid upon the
Army and upon munitions factories.
The policy of
Russia is, therefore, a paradox - it combines great desire for peace with
energetic preparation for war.
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