PRICE OF FOLLY

Evening Star, Issue 25089, 2 February 1944, Page 5

PRICE OF FOLLY

FINLAND'S UNENVIABLE POSITION " SANDS RUNNING OUT " LONDON,'January 31. " The Finnish Government, begins a new session to-day under the deepening shadow of military developments on the other side of the Gulf of Finland," says ' The Times ' in a leader, " There is no longer any question today of a greater Finland carved out of the body of Russia. What is at stake is the future of a different Finland—'how different will clearly depend) on the speed with which her rulers get their country out of the war, which is irretrievably lost. " Finnish troops have done little active fighting since it became obvious that Hitler's treiicherous coup.had miscarried, but'wait, and see ' is not a rational policy for a country which has made a fatal blunder; it is less rational than ever at a time when Russian armies are thrusting into Baltio lands and may soon command the Estonian coast.

The present rulers of Finland, misguided in their original conception of the Russian campaign, are now equally miscalculating the prospects of the war. Trustworthy observers Teport that leading members of the Government in Helsinki still base their policy on the of a German victory. Internal difficulties are serious. There are between 100,000 and 120,000 German troops on Finnish soil. " Finland needs bold leadership. The sands are running out. The Finns do not lack responsible men who are only too_ well aware of the dangers of the policy of drift and who, given the opportunity, might now seek the best terms rather than court greater severity by further delaying an approach to Moscow."