Neither Russia's pact with Germany nor her occupation of Poland modified the Soviet Government's assertion of technical neutrality in the European war between Germany and the Western democracies; although, after the conclusion of the treaty of friend ship on September 29, Russia and Germany jointly declared that they would consider Great Britain and France responsible for any continuation of the war, for which there no longer existed any ' reason, and that they would consult together regarding the meas ures to be taken if the war were continued. With the Polish ques tion settled, the Soviet was free to devote its attention to its relations with the three Baltic States and Finland.
Frontier incidents were alleged by Soviet Russia, culminating in the action of Finnish artillery, reported by Moscow on November 26 but denied by Finland, and causing casualties among the Soviet troops in the Karelian isthmus. M. Molotov thereupon handed the Finnish ambassador a note demanding the withdrawal of Finnish troops 12 to I5mi. from the frontier. On November 28 the Soviet Government denounced the treaty of non-aggression with Finland which had been signed in 1932, on the ground that the concentration of Finnish troops in the neighbourhood of Lenin grad was inconsistent with the treaty. Relations between the Soviet Union and Finland were broken off on Nov. 29, and on the 3oth Russian troops invaded Finland. On March 13, after about three months' gallant effort to stem an overwhelming tide, Fin land agreed to terms of treaty. (For Finnish and Polish campaigns see FINLAND; GERMANY; POLAND; WAR IN EUROPE, .) (X.)
Soviet Union has been the subject of various and contradictory interpretations. The following books, which should be supplemented. by those who read Russian, by Izvestia, Pravda and other Soviet newspapers and magazines give a fair representation of the main different viewpoints of Russian and foreign observers. V. Ossinsky and others, Socialist Planned Economy in the Soviet Union (New York, 5932). From the First to the Second Five Year Plan: a Symposium (New York, 5934). Maurice Hindus, The Great Offensive (New York, 1933). Titiana Tchernavina, Escape from the Soviets (New York, 1933). Walter Duranty, Duranty Reports Russia (New York, 1934). William Henry Chamberlin, Russia's Iron Age (Boston, 1934) and The Russian Revolution, 1917-1921 (New York, 1935) ; Louis Fischer, Soviet Journey (New York, 1935). Vladimir Tchernavin, I Speak for the Silent (Boston, 1935). V. Ilin, New Rus sin's Primer (New York, 5935). Klaus Mehnert, Youth in Soviet Russia (London, 5933). Fannina Halle, Woman in Soviet Russia (Lon don, 1933). Allan Monkhouse, Moscow 1911-1933 (Boston, 1934). Michael T. Florinsky, "World Revolutions and U.S.S.R." (New York, 1933). Violet Connolly, Soviet Economic Policy in the East (New York, 1934). Victor A. Yakhontoff, "Russia and the Soviet Union in the Far East" (New York, 1931). Julius Hecker, Moscow Dialogues (New York, 1933). George A. Kitchin, Prisoner of the OGPU (New York, 5935). The New Soviet Library (thirteen volumes, written by Soviet officials on various aspects of Soviet political, economic, social and cultural life). (London, 1934 and 5935). (W. H. Ca.)