SEEK MILITARY AID

Waikato Times, Volume 126, Issue 21042, 19 February 1940, Page 8

SEEK MILITARY AID

FINN MINISTERS IN LONDON EXISTENCE AT STAKE SWEDEN REFUSES ASSISTANCE (United Press Assn.—nee. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Feb. 17 It is announced in Helsinki that the Premier of Finland, M. Ryti, and the Foreign Minister, M. Tanner, are proceeding to London by air to seek immediate military aid. The Russian announcement of successes comes simultaneously with a statement from the Norwegian Foreign Minister, M. Koht, that Finland cannot expect aid from Norway. The Stockholm correspondent of the Danish newspaper Politiken, quoting reliable sources, states that M. Tanner conferred with the Swedish Prime Minister, M. Hansson, and made it understood that Finland had a “concrete promise of Allied military aid, consisting of three divisions, of which one would be French Alpine Chasseurs.” Reports from Helsinki state that Finland has already accepted the promised aid. Sweden, howe\*er, rejected a request for direct military aid. There is disappointment in Helsinki at the news of Sweden’s refusal. It is urged that Scandinavia’s existence is at stake. Help From France A Paris report says a French Government spokesman said that France was sending Finland artillery, aeroplanes and a great number of antitank guns. Permission for foreign residents to leave France if they wished to fight for Finland, he added, covered 1000 refugees. Genera] Grandcourt, aged 67, who is a member of the Finnish Army reserve, will command the Finnish Foreign Legion, says the Helsinki correspondent of the British United Press. Nazi-Soviet Aims The danger of a Finnish defeat is very great, says the diplomatic correspondent of the Manchester Guardian. The help reaching Finland is not sufficient to prevent Russia and Germany from mastering Northern Europe and gaining access to the North Atlantic. The Russian objective, says the correspondent, is the Norwegian port of Narvik. This suits the German objective, namely, the downfall of the British Empire.