NEW DANGER

Grey River Argus, 15 March 1940, Page 7

NEW DANGER

For Scandinavia TRIPLE ALLIANCE PROPOSED. I Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] LONDON, March 13. “Our position has become worse, as a result of the change in the Russian-Finnish frontiers,” declared M. Guenther, speaking in the Swedish Parliament. He expressed surprise at the peace terms, which are more severe than those Sweden transmitted to Finland. Finland apparently did not realise until the last moment that a world war would have been inevitable, if foreign military intervention had been necessary to save her.

At Helsinki, the Finnish Foreign Minister, M. Tanner, announced that Sweden, Norway, and Finland are conferring immediately, for the conclusion of a defensive alliance which will secure the frontiers and independence of the three nations. Speaking in the Swedish Parliament, M. Guenther said: “The time has now come for a new resolution The danger to us has not passed. A continuation of the European war still presents grave risks. Henceforth, we must be increasingly ready to direct our common policy to the common interest. The northern people should be in a position more closely to collaborate and strengthen themselves.” The Baltic States are also reacting to the Russo 7 Finnish settlement. The Foreign Ministers of Estonia. Lithuania, and Latvia will meet at Riga on March 14, to discuss the new situation. CAN SOVIET BE TRUSTED? LONDON, March 13. “The Times,” in a leader, refers to the Anglo-French preparations to aid Finland, and adds: If the same readiness had been shown in the earliest days of the conflict, the Russians might never have made the advances they achieved after 100 days of hard fighting, costing 500,000 men. Finland knows that little trust can be placed on the word of her predatory Eastern neighbour, whose penetration may take . more insidious forms than military invasion. The Danish paper, “Berlingske Tidende,” savs: “The message of peace will hardly be received bv a single Scandinavian without pain and < feeling of humiliation.. The general impression is that this peace wi weaken Finland terribly, and will simultaneously, alter the posrt-on o, the whole of Scandinavia has to bear her sufferings, buy. sufferinns also will come to Nordic countries, which yesterday became weaker and poorer.” , According to a messarc from'Oslo, the Norwegian paper. “Tidens Tegn declared: We are witnessing a ti a - edy, in which we are also guilty. We must blame the Scandinavians for their weak defence policy and ner vous neutrality.

Finland’s “Soviet ’ Premier HIS EXECUTION BY RUSSIANS REPORTED. [Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.l (Received March 14, 9.10 p.m.) COPENHAGEN, March 14. The paper “Ekstra Bladet’s,” Helsinki correspondent states: Kuusinen, who was the leader of the “P U P" pet” Soviet Government set up early in the war in Finland, and recognised by the Soviet, is reported to have been now executed for giving ic Kremlin misleading information as s -to the conditions in Finland before the war.

World Press Comment SWEDEN’S UNHAPPY ROLE. (Received March 13, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, March 13. The world’s press continues to reflect a multiplicity of views and sentiments in regard to the RussianFinnish peace, ranging from the Russian and German gloating over che “setback” suffered by the western democracies to bitter grief and dumb oporession which the correspondent of" Stockholm’s “Tidingen” ascribes to the Swedish Nation.

Finland Abandoned

DUTCH PRESS CHIDES ALLIES. LONDON,- March 13. The Amsterdam correspondent of “The Times” says that in Holland the press and public comment is bittei. It savs that'the Allies left Finland to her fate. Their credit has suffered another shock. Sweden and Noiway are also blamed. VICTORY FOR HITLER? WASHINGTON, March 13. Various members of Congress have denounced the Russo-Finnish treaty as “another Hitler victory.” GERMAN SUGGESTION. ALLIES IN WORSE POSITION. LONDON, March 13. German comment plays upon the theme of a general peace and warns Britain and France that the Western war is entering the decisive phase, in which Germany is certain of victory. The British and French peoples are urged to re-examine the policv of their Governments, under the 'light of Germany’s improved strategic position. Sterling Slumps Badly LOWEST FOR SEVEN YEARS. NEW YORK, March 13. Sterling 3765, after being quoted at 370 7-8. ' The lowest for seven years. The market was thin and there was no measure of business volume. LONDON, March 13. “The Times’s” Amsterdam correspondent says that the reaction throughout the country is reflected ( in the drop in the pound sterling from 7.245 to 7.1 gilders.