Checks & Cheese

As the week opened the Soviet Union enjoyed diplomatic recognition and relations with only one South American country, the smallest, Uruguay. As the week closed Soviet Russia did not enjoy diplomatic recognition or relations with any country in South America.

In Uruguay the Soviet Legation has been distinctly overworked by the eagerness of Moscow to promote the World Revolution of the World Proletariat in all South American countries. Prime tinder for Communist firebrands are South America's traditionally disgruntled Indians, Negroes and half-breeds, but to try to funnel enough World Revolution for the whole continent through Uruguay was injudicious. Last week President Terra of Uruguay, after prolonged investigation, decided that altogether too many large checks drawn "to bearer" by the Soviet Legation in Montevideo were being cashed by individuals who, his Secret Service told him, were Communist revolutionaries.

In breaking off diplomatic relations with the U. S. S. R.. President Terra cited the unsuccessful revolt in Brazil in November, which was led by an authentic graduate of the Comintern, the Moscow bureau for fomenting the World Revolution of the World Proletariat. Declared the Uruguayan Government last week: "The Soviet Government cannot disclaim connection with the Comintern and its revolutionary program in South America, for Joseph Stalin opened and closed the last Congress of the Comintern. . . . We have proof that Minkin* was organizing a revolution in Uruguay for next February or March." In Moscow the official Bolshevik news-organ, Izvestia, promptly announced to the world proletariat that Uruguay had attempted to ''blackmail" Russia by threatening to break off relations unless Montevideo was given a large Soviet order for Uruguayan cheese. This was supposed to have stung Dictator Stalin into assuming a defiant attitude--i. e.. Millions for Revolution but Not One Cent For Cheese. Neutral observers considered it more likely, if cheese really entered the picture, that whichever Soviet official refused to buy the cheese is now getting a wigging. To the Comintern a Soviet legation somewhere in South America is worth buying almost any quantity of cheese.

*His Excellency Alexander Minkin, until last week Soviet Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Uruguay.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.