SOVIET’S PLANS FOR FINLAND

Southland Times, Issue 23990, 4 December 1939, Page 7

SOVIET’S PLANS FOR FINLAND

“GOVERNMENT” AT TERJOKI SATIRICAL REVIEW BY MR GEDYE PROCESS OF ELECTION NOT EXPLAINED (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received December 3, 6.30 p.m.) NEW YORK, December 2. The Moscow correspondent of The New York Times, G. E. R. Gedye, bitterly and satirically reviews the Russian Press and radio reports of the formation of a “Finnish People’s Government,” which is almost the only news of the invasion given to Russians. A programme for Finland is alleged to be broadcast from its radio, but the whereabouts of the station are left to the imagination. Despite this transparent fiction, the programme is most important, as revealing the Soviet’s plans for Finland and doubtless many other countries. Mr Gedye points out that the “Government” has been established at Terjoki, which is an insignificant seaside village of 2000 inhabitants, just within the Finnish frontier. He adds that this association of persons on the outermost fringe of Finland under the protection of the invading armies is dignified by the imposing title of “the People’s Government of the Finnish Democratic Republic.” By what democratic process the “Government” emerged the broadcast does not explain, only asserting that it was created by the will of the Finnish democratic people, from whom,’ says Mr Gedye, it is separated by the Red Army, adding that the part of the Finnish Army which is alleged to have joined the “People’s Government” is presumably prisoners taken in Terjoki. NO REFERENCE IN NAZI PRESS MILITARY AND NAVAL CIRCLES CONCERNED RELUCTANT ACQUIESCENCE SUGGESTED (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, December 1. It is considered inconceivable that a few month ago—when the Soviet and German policies were apparently in conflict—that Germany would have permitted an invasion of Finland, for whose independence she largely was responsible and whose civilization has much in common with her own. That she acquiesces now with reluctance and that the Nazi Government fears unfavourable public reaction is-suggested by the fact that all reference to the invasion was yesterday excluded from the German Press.

Credence is given in informed circles to reports in neutral newspapers that the military and naval circles in Berlin regard the Soviet action with profound misgiving. A message from Berlin states that the German public was completely ignorant of the Russian invasion of Finland, which was not mentioned in the newspapers or by the radio. Neutral observers express the opinion that German officialdom is embarrassed by the latest developments, recognizing that the German public sympathizes with the Finns and would greatly resent a Bolshevik threat to their independence. The development of the situation following the Russian invasion of Fin? land is being studied in Britain with close attention.

Press reports are conflicting in certain details, but there is no attempt to minimize the gravity of the view taken in authoritative quarters.

Deep regret at the Soviet action was expressed by the Prime Minister, Mr Neville Chamberlain, in the House of Commons, and his measured and unambiguous condemnation of the aggressor is echoed throughout the national and provincial Press, which expresses deepest sympathy with the latest victim of yet another demonstration that, in the eyes of the despotisms of central and eastern Europe,. the small nation possesses no rights save those which it can assert by force of its own arms or those of its friends. "Friends of Finland,”'says The Times, “must at this moment include all the free nations of the world; but geography has set this gallant people in recesses of the Baltic where they are directly unapproachable by any great Power except the two representative of brute force.” Throughout the Press there is inevitable comment on the similarity of technique adopted by Russia towards Finland with that of Germany towards Czechoslovakia and Poland. In authoritative circles in Britain the view is expressed that the Nazi technique has merely pointed the way. This new and unjustifiable act of aggression, it is affirmed, would have been impossible without German acquiescence. HUNGARIANS CHEER FOR FINLAND BATTALIONS RUSHED TO FRONTIER BUDAPEST, December 2. Additional Hungarian labour battalions have been rushed to the Ruthenian border in view of Russian concentrations. All members of Parliament joined in cheers for Finland. The Nazi leader said: “Finland was forced to bear arms for its defence and freedom.”