The "Pravda"
Moscow, Dec, 2, The official Soviet newspaper fo|*Pravda" today made its first open reference to a possible Soviet-Japanese pact in.an article of violent attack against Walter Lippman, widely-read American political commentator, In a recent article Mr, Lippman asserted: "If the idea of a pact with the U.S.S.R, may appear profable to Japan, Japan should not forget that after the European War, the British Fleet will return ta Singapore and that the American Fleet may go there, too."
These words today met with the "Pravda's" sternest disapproval and the newspaper reviled Lippman as an "ink-selle hyena," "militaristic speculator" and a few other choice things, "Lippman is so afraid," the "Pravda" added, "that he deems it necessary to threaten the intervention of the American Fleet as soon as an agreement between Japan and Russia is rumoured."
The article in the official newspaper, foreign observers pointed out tonight, is the first of its type in the official press, Moreover, they stressed, the virulent criticism of Walt Lippman indicates that Russia willingly would enter into a treaty with Japan—Havas,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.