RUSSIA: Justice in The Baltic

Norway under the Nazis still manages to be Norway, and even Poland keeps a species of impotent nationality in its Government General. But the Russians do things differently. Last week, as Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia officially became Russian Republics Nos. 15, 16, 17, liquidation of their nationalism began. Hundreds of men were arrested, including all leaders of former regimes that the Ogpu could lay hands on. Tribunals were set up to try and punish “traitors to the people.” Traitors to the people included not only active opponents of sovietization but all those who have fallen short of their political and economic duties, including the political duty of voting their countries into the U. S. S. R. in recent elections. Those who failed to have their passports stamped for so voting may be shot in the back of the head.

Under arrest and liable to prompt liquidation were Estonia’s onetime President Konstantin Päts, Latvia’s onetime President Karlis Ulmanis and Foreign Minister Vilhelms Hunters, Lithuania’s onetime Foreign Minister Juozas Urbsys. Special justice, including immediate confiscation of property and execution within 24 hours if they are bagged, was decreed for diplomats abroad who refuse to recognize the new regimes and return home.

In Berlin, Lithuanian Minister Kazys Skirpa immediately made himself Candidate No. 1 for Soviet justice. After Russian officials in a big black car had taken over the Estonian and Latvian Legations, they called on Minister Skirpa. The Minister sent word that he was out. The Russians then demanded of First Secretary Stasys Kuzminskas that he surrender the Legation. Secretary Kuzminskas asked for their authority.

“By the authority of the Lithuanian people who have spoken in a solemn referendum,” replied the Russian spokesman.

Said Secretary Kuzminskas: “No credible information has been received to that effect, and so I do not think it worth disturbing the Minister.”

Two days later the Russians went back, had the Legation gate slammed in their faces. All day they tried to get the Legation to surrender by telephone, but the telephone did not answer. Berliners thought all this was highly amusing.

Finland, which last fall showed more spunk than the rest of the Baltic countries put together, was in line for more trouble last week. A gang from the Association-for-Peace-&-Friendship-Between-Finland-and-the-Soviet-Union (for which Moscow claims 20,000 members, Helsinki 200) started a fire in a public square in Helsinki. A Canadian volunteer who had fought in the Russo-Finnish War shot one of the Peace-&-Friendship boys. In Moscow, Tass began blustering against Finland and an incident appeared to be in the making.

Well aware of what the Peace-&-Friendship Association is up to, the Finnish Government has so far dealt leniently with it, has winked at the fact that it is openly Communist, although the Communist Party is outlawed. In his speech on foreign policy last fortnight, Russia’s Premier Molotov declared: “Serious deterioration of Finnish-Soviet relations may be expected if the Finns continue to persecute Soviet sympathizers.”

Last week President Otto Kuusinen of last December’s abortive Finnish People’s Republic was elected a vice president of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the U. S. S. R., and it was a good bet that he would be head of the 18th Soviet State before frost comes to Finland again.