The Soviet Union and the Crisis The authoritative statement issued
in London on Monday that the German Government had been -informed that Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union would come to the assistance of Czechoslovakia, if attacked, brought relief to many people's minds. It was the first official recognition that in case of war this country would have as an ally a nation of 170,000,000, inhabiting one-sixth of the earth's surface. It is hardly a fact to ignore, and in the case of Poland the Soviet Union has already intervened to maintain peace. Indeed it may be said that of all the Powers impli- cated in the present crisis, Soviet Russia has expressed her intentions with the greatest consistency and clarity. Her obligations, to Czechoslovakia and to France, are known and M. Litvinov has repeatedly asserted that she means to fulfil them. It is curious therefore that, in France especially, suspicion has been raised on several occasions that the Soviet Government does not intend to lend any effective assistance to her Western allies. Fortunately, it has been dissipated, but it would be extremely interesting to know from what sources it arose ; the next war, if it ever comes, may well be a war of misunderstood intentions. For weeks Great Britain failed to make her intentions clear to Germany, the French to make theirs clear to themselves or anyone else, and the Soviet Union, apparently, despite M. Litvinov's conversations with M. Bonnet and public statements, failed to make her intentions clear to the French.
