Finland Broke Russian Peace Immediately

Northern Advocate, 19 November 1941, Page 9

Finland Broke Russian Peace Immediately

LONDON, November 18. Dealing with the Finnish reply to America, a special communique issued in Moscow alleges that almost immediately after the signing of the HussoFinnish peace in the autumn of 1940, Finland allowed several German divisions to enter Finland to prepare for the attack on Russia, in which Finland expressed her readiness to join. “This shows the Finnish rulers’ treachery towards both their own and the Russian people,” says the communique. “It will not bo surprising, therefore, if the people of Europe and Russia deal with these gentlemen as they intend to deal with Hitler's clique.” Independence Recognised The communique denies that Russia presented new and unjustified demands on Finland after the conclusion of the Russo-Finnish peace, or that she interfered in Finland’s internal affairs. The communique answers Finland’s assertion that she must be permanently on guard against Russian imperialism by recalling that the Soviet Government recognised Finland’s independence, which all previous Russian Governments refused to do. “Finland’s' present disgraceful attitude confirms before the eyes of the world the Soviet’s well-founded concern for the security of its northwestern frontiers and the approaches to Leningrad,” says the communique. Annexationist Aims “The United States Under-Secretary for State (Mr. Sumner Welles) informed the Finnish Minister in Washington <M. Procope), on August 18. that Russia was willing to discuss peace, but instead of replying to Inis question, which was vital for Finland’s existence, Finland’s present rulers prattle about a so-called ‘defensive war’ 'in order to conceal from their own people the annexationist aims of their war against Russia and the true meaning of their alliance with the Hitlerite imperialists.”