RUSSO-NAZI GOAL

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20142, 11 January 1940, Page 5

RUSSO-NAZI GOAL

COALITION CONTROL NORTHERN EUROPE FINLAND CONFLICT EFFECTS ON ALLIES Britain and France are now convinced that if Finland suffers defeat a blow will have been struck at the Allied cause. Authoritative commentators declare that Finland’s defeat would seriously injure the Western Allies, not merely in tiie moral sense, but also in the strategic sense, states the London correspondent of the Sydney Morning Herald. An earlier belief—notably encouraged by Mr. \Vinston Churchill in his broadcast on October l— that Russia is working to Germany’s disadvantage by forestalling Germany, and grabbing her share of the strategic points of the Baltic, is now discarded in many quarters. The Finnish war is now viewed as an attempt by a RussoGerman coalition to establish itself in Northern Europe. It is believed that if Finland is “pulverised” in the manner of Poland, Germany will be on the way to achieving ascendancy in Northern Europe, because the appearance of a GermanRussian coalition on the shores of the Northern Atlantic—at Petsamo, and at Varanger Fjord, and Narvik on the Norwegian coast—would threaten Britain’s northern overseas communications. Germany’s Interests Commentators in London consider that it is very much in Germany’s interest that Russia should win the Finnish war quickly. Britain and France recognise that a Russian victory would amount to a German victory. Hence the Anglo-French measures to prevent such a victory, as the outcome of the recent resolution of the League of Nations Assembly are recognised as contributions to a final Allied victory. Finland is seen to be fighting as an Anglo-French ally. The Manchester Guardian states: “The battles which are being fought on Finnish soil are the battles of the second world war.” The authorities are far less interested in Hie reports of battles than in the consequences to tiie Allies of Finland's defeat.

If the war remains a local one, Russia will inevitably win, despite her defective equipment, inferior morals and bad leadership, because she can stand losses outnumbering the entire Finnish army. Intentions of Hitler Consequently, it is asked: Can it remain local? Commentators point out that Germany has already helped Russia a great deal by neutralising Sweden which might otherwise have gone to Finland’s aid, and they ask whether Hitler will go further and intervene actively in order to begin an outflanking movement whereby a Ger-man-Russian coalition would attempt to terminate the deadlock in Western Europe and the North Sea. and threaten Britain as a naval and mercantile Power from the north-east. Reasoning in this way, a number of authoritative commentators conclude that the Finnish war has already ceased to be local; that it is part of the general European conflict, and that Finland is one of the battlefields on which the fate ol' European freedom is being decided. Substantial Aid Needed

Military observers are satisfied that the only way to reduce the tremendous odds facing Finland is to give substantial foreign aid, and that this must not be delayed, as the time is running short.

At present, there is no question of Britain breaking off diplomatic relations with Russia, despite the forthcoming British White Paper dealing with the negotiations with Russia last year, but whether relations between Russia and Britain and France can remain normal indefinitely is uncertain. It is the subject of keen speculation. despite the official assurances that the British Ambassador in Moscow, Sir William Seeds, is returning to London purely for a holiday. Well-informed quarters have definitely abandoned the wishful thinking which made Russia appear as the secret enemy of Germany.