Chungking, May 12.
While the situation in northern Hupeh is admitted to be tense owing to the surprise northward move, in results, reliable and experienced observers also disclosed. Chiefly responsible was the reluctance of the Baltic States themselves to take a definite stand.
They are placed in an awkward position since they fear both the Reich and Soviet Russi They fear what might befall them if a Soviet-German conflict were to break out. And they fear what would happen it Germany and Russia were to effect a rapprochement.
The Baltic nations know that they would serve as the battlefield in any eventual Soviet-German war and, owing to their unhappy geographical Position, they cannot follow the example of the Scandinavian countries and proclaim strict neutrality.
The "Izvestia," as the official organ of the Central Executive Committee of the U.SSR, struck a significant note today when it emphasized, "At all events, the Soviets hold an alliance with Britain and France, or if pos sible, a four-power alliance including; Poland, as the sole means to prevent er aggression."—Havas.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.