The incorporation of the Baltic States marks a new step in Russian policy towards her neighbours. It was as recently as last September that Russia signed pacts of mutual assistance with Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania; and in all the treaties a special article ivas inserted which stipulated clearly that, in spite of the fact that Russia was to station troops and to receive air and naval bases in the countries, "this pact shall mot affect in any way the sovereign rights of the contracting parties, and in particular their State organization, economic and social systems and military Incorporation and soviet tization were not expected to follow so soon after these treaties; moreover, it is the first time that Stalin has brought "alien" peoples into the Soviet Union.
By the incorporation of the three States, Russian territory is increased by Lithuania's 22959 square miles, Latvia's 20056 square miles, and Estonia's 48353 square miles, Lithuania has a population of 2,879,- 070, Latvia one of 1,994,500 and Estonia one of 1,134,000. The economic structure of all three States is mainly the same. Over 50 per cent, of their population is engaged in agriculture. Their land is thickly
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