DECISION WITH SOVIET

Greymouth Evening Star, 6 November 1939, Page 7

DECISION WITH SOVIET

FINLAND GIVES FINAL ANSWER

PREPARED TO DEFEND HERSELF

[BY CABLE —PBESS ABBN. —COPYBIGHT.)

HELSINKI, November 5.

The Prime Minister of Finland (M. Cajander) asserted in a broadcast that Finland was prepared to defend herself in all circumstances and was intensifying the necessary preparations. A message from Rome says that the radio reports that 80,000 Soviet troops have been moved to the Karelian frontier of Finland. The Finnish Foreign Minister (M. Erkko) said in a.statement: “Finland’s answer has been given to the Soviet leaders, with whom rests the decision whether further negotiations are worth while. ” He added that the delegation was remaining in Moscow to await instructions.

“Our attitude is unchanged,” said M. Erkko. “Russia’s proposals would be offensive to us in peace time. We have accepted about two-thirds of them, but there is a limit to everything. They asked for the cession of land north of Leningrad, islands in the Gulf of Finland, and a lease' of land on the southern coast for a military base.”

He denied that other nations had influenced Finland, and said Russia must overcome her suspicions. Finland had taken her stand independently. A mes r sage from Moscow says that the Fin-nish-Russian negotiations at the Kremlin* on Friday lasted an hour. A Government spokesman at Helsinki had declared that though Finland would reject territorial claims on the southern coast any basis for further discussion would be considered.

The Soviet Commissar for Foreign Affairs (M. Molotov) and the Vice-com-missar (M. Potemkin) attended a conference, following which no statement was issued. No second meeting was fixed. The tension lias not relaxed. SOVIET PRESS ATTACK Negotiations between Finland and Russia were made more difficult by the “Pravda” attack on Finland and Sweden. , • ■ •

Finnish newspapers publish the text of the speech made by M. Erkko. Commenting on the “Pravda” article, they say it is a gross distortion of the facts. Finland has no intention'of using force except in defence. The Moscow correspondent of the “New York Times,” Mr. G. E. R. Gedye in a message from Moscow, states that it is undeniable that the Soviet Press,

makes the Russian-Finnish situation very grave. -.

The present display of hostility to Finland is caused by Soviet annoyance* at indications of foreign sympathy and support, and is doubtless designed to reduce the Finns to a proper state of humility. The first warning in M. Molotov’s speech failed to shake the determination of the Finns. The second warning is the article in “Pravda,” which may imply a threat of military action, but is more likely intended to frighten the Swedes from supporting the Finns, thus destroying Scandinavian unity, and may presage a war of nerves designed to worry Finland. In consequence, a large proportion of the Finnish population has been mobilised. Immediate developments will depend on the Swedish reaction to Russia’s open hostility.

“THE GREAT STALIN”

LONDON, November 5.

• The Moscow wireless announced that sailors'of the Soviet'Baltic Fleet passed a .resolution declaring their readiness to “direct the fleet’s terrific guns against any enemy from whatever direction he may appear. We shall go into battle with reckless courage for . our country and our father and friend, the great Stalin.”

GERMAN PUBLIC. IGNORANT

BERLIN, November - 5.

The German public is completely ignorant of the tense Russo-Finnish situation, no word of which is mentioned in the papers.