FINLAND WARNED

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 115, 10 February 1944, Page 5

FINLAND WARNED

Make Peace Or Take

Consequences (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) LONDON, February 8. The United States recently again warned the Finnish Government that Finland must either get out of the war or accept her responsibility for collaboration with Germany, it-was disclosed in Washington today iby the Secretary of State, Mr. Cordell Hull. Referring to the warning, the Associated Press says it wiis the first action by the Unitea States concerning Finland for some time,- and suggested that the Finns might be under an Allied diplomatic offensive as well as a military one to force them out of the war. A spokesman of the Finnish Legation in Washington said: “Finland’s position is unchanged, even jf , Helsinki is razed. The Finns will not surrender.” The Finnish Government has ordered the immediate evacuation of all the important towns in southern Finland. This action follows the heavy Russian raids on Helsinki on Sunday night. Swedish commentators F>uy that the raids on Helsinki were made for political rather than military reasons. The “Aftonbladet” says that behind the scenes a struggle is going on between the anti-Russian Acting Prime Minister, Tanner, and other members of the Cabinet. Diplomatic circles believe that if Finland adopted an auti-Fascist regime Russia would be ready to grant a separate peace to Finland. Meanwhile it is believed to have prepared terms for a separate peace with Finland. Reported Soviet Conditions. An observer in touch with the Russian Legation in Stockholm says that the peace conditions would include the surrender of the Finnish army and - the handing over of all war material to Russia; the occupation by the Russians of all strategically important points in Finland, including Helsinki, which, however, would be administered by Finnish authorities. The Finns would be expected to do everything in their power to prevent the seven German divisions in Finland leaving the country. Moscow radio, quoting a leader in the “Izvestia,” says: “The war has taught the crazy Finnish imperialists nothing. They are still clinging to wild dreams of territorial aggrandizement—of a greater Finland —but they are likely to awaken and see the Red Army before the walls of Helsinki'itself. Let the ruins of Helsinki fall on the heads of the Fascist rulers of Finland, and the Finnish invaders will very soon regret that the war continues.

“The Soviet peoples will not forget that Finnish invaders have been looting for two years on Soviet soil. They have inflicted heavy wounds on. Leningrad, and the sufferings of our brothers in the Karelo-Finnish Soviet Republic call for revenge and retribution. We have not forgotten them.”