FINLAND MUST NOT FALL

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21576, 12 February 1940, Page 7

FINLAND MUST NOT FALL

Civilisation “ Would Be Shamed ”

Urgent Need Of Help

British Official Wireless

(Rec. February 11. 6:30 p.m.) RUGBY, February 10.

Giving his impression o£ his recent visit to Finland to journalists, Sir Walter Citrine, the leader of the British Labour delegation, said: “It is in the serious interest of this country and the world as a whole that a very considerably larger amount of assistance should be forthcoming for Finland from this country.”

He paid a tribute to the efficiency of the Finnish Army, both the personnel and the organisation, stating that the protective precautions were the finest he had ever seen. Speaking of the Russians, Sir Walter said he thought the morale was extraordinarily bad. “They don’t like the war and they don’t know what it is about,” he said. Conversations with Russian prisoners, Sir Walter said, revealed that in many cases machineguns were used to urge men into battle and then commissars told them that the families of the men who surrendered would be shot. Doubts he had had as to the numbers of Russian losses had been dispelled by the number of prisoners he had seen and the quantity of captured material he had inspected. “I think that Russia has supplied the Finns with more arms than any other country,” he added.

He expressed the opinion that the next six or eight weeks would indicate which way the war would go, but he emphasised that the Finns could not hold out indefinitely without all possible assistance.

Referring to the return of the British Labour delegation from Finland. British papers remark that there always is a tendency to doubt the accuracy of the news coming from a country at war and says it is all to the good to receive first-hand accounts from men well suited to find out the true facts for themselves. The “Manchester Guardian” says the delegation’s reports give us a useful estimate of the value of Germany’s partner for whose aid she has sacrificed the goodwill of all her former friends. Nothing in the present news suggests that the Finnish resistance is weakening. For all her efforts and the casualties to which her inefficiency condemns her dogged forces, Russia has done nothing that can be seen to break the stalemate. Yet at any time fortunes may suddenly change and with the spring Finland’s burden will be vastly increased. She cannot destroy Russia, but she herself, less than 4 000,000 strong, can be exhausted and utterly overthrown. It is now realised in this country the fate which is certain unless outside aid is sufficient and will harm us as surely afe it will ruin Finland. The longer the xVar lasts the weaker Russia becomes. It is more important for us to see that the partner of our own enemy is not ultimately victorious. The “Daily Herald” (Labour) says that unless democracy gives a great deal more help to Finland, Finland will fall and civilisation will be shamed.