THE OUTER WORLD AND THE SOVIETS     277
sphere. They are, however, too small to form a counterweight
to Soviet Russia, the largest military power in the world, and,
being compelled to rely on their own strength alone, are weak
both economically and politically. They rightly feel that they
cannot do anything to offend their eastern neighbour, even
when the existence of their kinsmen in Russia is at stake.
The position of Finland is unique in so far as the Soviet
Union, by the Treaty of Dorpat, assumed obligations valid in
international law, guaranteeing the rights of the Finns in
Ingermanland, and of the population of Karelia. The subject
was dealt with in an earlier chapter.
The position of Roumania, the southern neighbour of the
Soviet Union, is rather different. Probably more is known in
this country about the famine in Russia and the number of
its victims—including Roumanians—than anywhere else. Nor
is there any illusion as to the fact that the Soviet Government
(the Komintern) has for years been making Roumania in par-
ticular the scene of its endeavours to bring about a Communist
revolution. The discovery of widespread secret organizations
has proved this. But Roumania's relations with her neighbour
are decisively influenced by one question—that of Bessarabia.
Now Soviet Russia has conceded Bessarabia to Roumania, and
consequently the view is held at Bucharest that the Soviet
Union must be treated with all possible consideration and must
even be regarded as a potential ally.
Czechoslovakia, another member of the Little Entente^ does
not border on Russia, but many Czechs live in that country.
Czechoslovakia's attitude to Russia is a good example of the
way in which the public opinion of a country can be influenced
by a political change of front. How quickly the Czech change
of front took place can best be seen from the following dates.
In July 1934 diplomatic relations between the two states were
initiated and on March 25, 1935, the trade treaty was signed.
A few weeks later Moscow achieved a success it had been
seeking for many years in other states: it secured a loan of