Salt Lake Telegram | 1936-10-16 | Page 1 | Russia Moves to Tie France as Arms Ally

RUSSIA MOVES TO TIE FRANCE AS ARMS AllY Belgium's ms m's Defection Stressed in inI I Tri Trip P of Litvinov PARIS Oct 16 INS INS Tak Tak Taking ing advantage of Belgium's defection from the Lo Locarno rn lineup and abandonment of f her military alliance with France soviet Russia is bringing bringing bring bring- ing pressure upon the French government to begin immediately immediately imme imme- the general staff conversations conversations conversations con con- which have been postponed repeatedly since the soviet Franco-soviet mutual aid pact was signed While France angrily prepared a sharp harp protest to Belgium on her neutrality move International al News Service learned today the purpose of Soviet Foreign Commissar Commissar Com Com- Maxim Litvinov's surprise surprise surprise sur sur- prise incognito visit to Paris was to force commencement of Franco Fran Fran- co soviet co-soviet sovIet general staff talks Haying H lost Be Belgium gium as an ally Litvinov pointed out France has no alternative but to strengthen her military tl tie with the s 's soviet union Germany is secretly delighted at atthe atthe atthe the trend of events and it Was vias felt here that Litvinov fears the possibility of a western agreement among the Locarno powers in which Russia might not be permitted to participate participate participate pate owing to German objections Litvinov urged a military agreement agreement agreement agree agree- ment with the soviet union as absolutely absolutely absolutely ab necessary to France at least until the French line of defenses defenses defenses de de- can be stretched along the Franco Belgian border to the North sea to meet the latest threat to Frances France's status in Europe's diplomatic diplomatic diplomatic diplo diplo- matic poker Joker game At the same same- time it was learned Premier Premier- Leon Blums Blum's left wing government government government gov gov- was definitely informed a week ago of the Belgian neutrality move but failed to take action to forestall il it Meanwhile during the present visit of Polish Foreign Minister Josef Jo Josef Jo- Jo J sef Beck in Paris an n attempt is beIng being being be be- ing made to tighten up Frances France's alliances with Poland and the little entente sufficiently to offset the hopes of Germany based on the Belgian Belgian Belgian Bel Bel- gian defection