IN BALANCE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 64, 16 March 1944, Page 5

IN BALANCE

FINNISH DECISION Grave Internal Disorders Feared Rec. 2 p.m. LONDON, Mar. 15. The Finnish radio to-night indicated that a final decision regarding the Russian peace terms had not yet been made. A communique issued in Helsinki said Parliament to-day discussed the report given in. the House yesterday by the Prime Minister, Professor Linkomies. Parliament, after an hour's discussion, carried a motion passing on to the next order of the day. Reuters Stockholm correspondent says the motion, which was the equivalent to a vote of confidence in the Government, was passed by 160 votes to 40.

The Finnish radio said the decision of the Government will be of much greater importance and consequence than was generally assumed. The question must be asked whether the deputies, who are to give expression to the public desire, are in possession of all requisite information. They must be able to appraise the situation from a full knowledge of the facts. Whether the Finnish leaders decide to make peace or, as seems more probable to-night, continue ths war, Finland appears to be faced with grave internal trouble, even the threat of civil war.. Civil War Prospects The Finnish Government is believed to be facing the following problem—if peace is made and the Germans are isolated in northern Finland there is a danger that young Finnish officers and intellectuals, aided by some of the peasants, would join the Germans and establish an independent government in Rovaniemi and with German help start a civil war. Competent observers say even Marshal Mannerheim's prestige would not be sufficient to prevent this.

It is this perspective which is largely responsible for the Finnish Government's apparent lack of determination over the past month, continues Reuters Stockholm correspondent. Moreover, Finnish workers, according to a number of reports from Helsinki, favour peace. Observers consider the continuation of the war might result in grave labour troubles.

Aftonbladet's Helsinki representative says there are political observers who consider the Finnish Parliament will not take a definite stand until to-morrow. Allehanda's Helsinki correspondent says wellinformed circles consider the Finnish reply to the Russian conditions will be negative.

The Times Stockholm correspondent says if Russo-Finnish contact is broken the advocates of continued attempts at settlement clearly fear some kind of reactionary coup, and significantly unofficial feelers have already been extended about the evacuation of continental and political refugees from Finland to Sweden.