p Ever since it was founded, the League of Nations had been one of the centres for planning and plotting anti- Soviet acts of imperialist powers. Therefore, the Soviet Union had, quite naturally, maintained a negative stand with regard to the League until the early 1930s. However, by 1933 the international situation had materially changed. The Anglo-French imperialist alignment was coming under mounting pressure from Japan and Germany. London and Paris had to revise much of their policy towards the Soviet Union. That told on the League of Nalions as well. Moreover, many members of the League found it desirable for the USSR to participate in that ogranisation so as to make it more effective in resisting aggression.

p The question of the USSR joining the League of Nations was first brought up by the French government when it began to show interest late in October, 1933, in co- operation with the USSR in the struggle against aggression from Germany.

p The Soviet government found it possible to join the League of Nations, the more so since the aggressive powers— Japan and Germany—had left it. While handing the Eastern Pact proposal to J. Paul-Boncour on December 28, 1933, the Soviet Ambassador Dovgalevsky informed him about the Soviet consent in principle to join the League of Nations.

p Setting out the Soviet Union’s position with regard to the League of Nations, Stalin said in a conversation with American journalist Walter Duranty: "In spite of the withdrawal of Germany and Japan from the League of Nations or, perhaps, just because of that, the League can become a certain brake to hold up military operations or impede them. If that is so, if the League can turn out to be something like a little hurdle to make things somewhat more difficult for war and somewhat easier for peace, then we are not against the League. Should that be the course of historical events, it cannot be ruled out that we may support the League of Nations in spite of its glaring shortcomings." ^^138^^

p The French government reverted to the question of the USSR joining the League of Nations in June 1934. The Soviet Union gave a positive reply. The French Foreign Minister was handed a statement by the Soviet government 66 to the effect that the USSR had earlier linked its accession to the League with the conclusion of the Eastern Pact, but was now prepared to join the League subject to an appropriate invitation and a guarantee of a permanent seat in the Council. The USSR, it was pointed out, expected that this step "will facilitate the conclusion of pacts to strengthen peace".^^139^^

p Most of the members of the League of Nations reacted positively to the Soviet Union’s accession to that international organisation. The British government also declared, not without some hesitation though, that it was ready to support the idea of the Soviet Union joining the League of Nations. However, the governments which held an extremely hostile position with regard to the USSR, reacted to that step of the Soviet Union unfavourably.

p Poland’s position could not but call for vigilance. The Polish ruling establishment always was after an international isolation of the USSR so as to create a favourable setting for its anti-Soviet designs. With the USSR in the League of Nations (just as with the Eastern Pact concluded), the position of the Soviet Union would have changed appreciably. The plans for an international isolation of the USSR would also have been frustrated. There was a very painful reaction in Warsaw, besides, to the idea that on joining the League of Nations, the USSR was likewise to become a permanent member of the Council. The Polish leaders had for years pressed hard for Poland to be recognised as a Great Power and a dominant force in Eastern Europe. To this end, they strove to secure, notably, a permanent seat in the Council of the League of Nations. The Soviet Union’s accession to that organisation and the granting of a permanent seat to it in the Council, that is, the recognition of its immense role in international affairs, combined to strike at the great-power ambitions of the Polish government. On July 4, the Soviet People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs reported from Geneva that the Polish Minister for Foreign Affairs J. Beck was active behind the scenes conducting "virulent propaganda against our joining the League". ^^14^^°

p The position of Finland with regard to the Soviet Union’s accession to the League of Nations also proved to be unfriendly. The question of the USSR joining the League of Nations was taken as an excuse for yet another anti-Soviet campaign in the Finnish bourgeois press.

p A negative stance was taken up also by certain countries whose ruling quarters, just because of their class hatred for the Soviet state, did not find it possible to establish even diplomatic relations with the USSR (Portugal, Switzerland).

p On September 14, 1934, the Soviet People’s Commissar on his arrival in Geneva, concerted with the French representatives the outline invitation for the USSR to join the League of Nations and the Soviet government’s reply to this invitation.

p On the following day, representatives of the 30 membercountries of the League of Nations sent a message to the Soviet government pointing out that they, "considering that the task of maintenance and organisation of peace, which is the basic purpose of the League of Nations, demands the cooperation of all nations, hereby invite the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics to join the League of Nations and to bring in its valuable co-operation.” ^^141^^

p The question of the USSR joining the League of Nations was examined at an Assembly session on September 18. There had to be a two-thirds majority for the admission and a unanimous vote for the election to Council membership. 39 members of the League voted for the admission of the USSR to the League, 3 against (the Netherlands, Portugal and Switzerland), and 7 abstained. There was not a single vote against the inclusion of the USSR in the Council, but 10 nations abstained.^^142^^ So the USSR was admitted to the League of Nations and became a permanent member of its Council.

p Speaking in the Assembly in connection with the Soviet Union’s accession to the League, the Soviet Foreign Commissar declared that unfortunately the League of Nations had no means at its disposal for the complete abolition of war. However, given the firm will and close co-operation of all its members, much can be done to prevent war. "The Soviet government has never stopped working to achieve this end ever since it came into existence”, he declared. "Henceforward it wants to join its efforts with those of other nations represented in the League.” The Soviet representative said that mere declarations were not enough to keep the peace, it took some more effective means to do so.^^143^^

p The Soviet Union’s entry into the League of Nations substantially reinforced that international organisation and its potentialities for the maintenance of peace. The Soviet 68 defence capability and economic resources materially increased the League’s potential powers and possibilities essential to the struggle against aggression. The Soviet government’s determination to do everything possible to check aggression and strengthen peace could increase the efficiency of the League of Nations and enhance its role in resolving the problems of war and peace.

The Deputy Secretary-General of the League of Nations Francis Paul Walters of Britain, admitted that Soviet participation in that international organisation was "an event of first-class importance in the political evolution of the post-war world".^^144^^ Even bourgeois politicians and historians had to admit that the Soviet Union became the most active partisan of the policy of collective security in the League.^^145^^ Once in the League of Nations, the Soviet Union became a full-fledged party to what was the major international organisation in those years, where it could play an active part, on a par with Britain, France and other countries, in resolving international problems, including the problems of peace and security. All that opened up further opportunities for the Soviet government to intensify the battle for peace and against aggression.