Hitler and Stalin
In his New Year proclamation to the German people Herr Hitler restated his familiar argument that the territorial " successes " of 1939 were achievements removing the " in- justices of Versailles." The fourth " success " of the. year was the Pact of Non-aggression with Soviet Russia. He preferred to represent this in negative rather than positive terms—it frustrated the efforts of the plutocratic statesmen of the West to induce Germany and Russia to bleed each other for the benefit of third parties. Already, it will be observed, his ideological language is becoming similar to that customarily used in Russia. But the extent and reality of Germany's understanding with the Soviet Government still remains one of the uncertainties of the war, and it may still be uncertain to Hitler himself. That each side will get as much as it can out of the other goes without saying, and it happens that at this particular moment of Russia's_embarrass- ment in Finland she has need of expert help from Germany, and is reported to have asked for it. If ideological con- siderations are put aside, a genuine alliance with Russia would be to the great advantage of Germany. But Stalin might not think it to the advantage of the Soviet, though it would certainly be worth his while to keep Hitler hoping.
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