Evening star., 1939-12-10
Allies Passivity Over Finland
May Bring Like Fate to Balkans
Britain Refused Nordic Plea for Aid and Reich
and Soviet Are Reported Ready to
Strike in South
Bv Constantine Brown.

y
An innocent looking pimple appearing
on the neck may sometimes indicate
grave illness, followed in some cases
by death.
On Europes neck such pimple-Fin-
land-has now appeared. The fact that
the Soviet Union-187 100000 inhabitants
was able to attack the Finnish Repub-
lic-4,0O0 900 inhabitants-at time when
Great Britain and France are at war
without the recording of an official pro-
tests grave indication.
Finland resisted with the bravery Of
the doomed. 1t was bound to be crushed.
Yet outside of casual "it's pity" from
the British Premier, and less than that
from the French, "the defenders Of
democracy" have not raised finger to
lend the small nation even the traditional
moral support.
The trainers of the Munich appease-
ment policy are still looking toward q
solution of the present conflagration be-
fore their armies are called into action.
Under the circumstances, they feel that
to rebuke Russia would be faux pas
which might jeopardize their endeavors.
Officially, the British and the French
say that they are too far away from
Finland to lend her any effective sup
port. And since such support cannot be
given, mere gesture such as breaking
off diplomatic relations with the U. S. S.
r. would be futile. Let Finland wait,
they say, until we have won the war.
Then her independence will be restored,
as will that of Poland, Czecho-Slovakia
and other smaller nations which may
succumb under the blows Of the totali-
tarians
Britain Refused Finnish Plea.
It is little known, however, that on
Monday, November "a, the Minister of
Finland to London went to see Lord
Halifax and informed him of the i'm
pending attack by the Russians. The
Finn pleaded with the British foreign
secretary for Britain's assistance in the
shape of $50 airplanes to bolster up the
small Finnish air force which consists of
only $50 machines.
Lord Halifax was reassuring regarding
the intentions of the Russians and told
the Finnish diplomat that reliable re-
ports from the Embassy in Moscow indi-
Gated that this was just another war of
nerves and that the Russians did not
have any intention of invading Finland.
When the visitor became more pressing
about the airplanes, he was told that
since Britain is not at war with the U.
S. S. R., it would be difficult for the
British to deliver such planes without
risking offense to an officially friendly
nation. Furthermore, he added. the
planes could not reach Finland without
a stopover in Denmark, and that would
mean infringing the neutrality of that
country.
Finland is doomed Everybody, includ-
ing the Firms themselves, recognize this.
She is being massacred under the eyes
of the big, heavily powers without
voice of protest being raised in her
behalf in Europe.
May Hurt Other Nations.
If the consequences of this inactivity
were not so ominous for the allies, the
expression used by the British Premier
"it's a pity"-would be in order. But the
doom of Finland may, and probably will
have, a devastating effect on the other
smaller nations which are in Russia's
and Germany's path in Eastern and
Southeastern Europe.
The prescription for the conquest of
these nations is simple: Create an in
cident, illusory or otherwise, drop few
bombs on open cities, fire few shells
and mass heavy forces. After mixing
up this concoction thoroughly, the
country is yours.
The Scandinavian kingdoms, which
only five weeks ago at the Stockholm
meeting decided to stand by each other,
are letting their neighbor 60. They do
it with heavy hearts but they cannot
help themselves. Germany has an eye
on the rich ore mines of Sweden and
Russia has an eye on the Atlantic ports
of Norway. The Swedish government
has been given unequivocal hints that
should 1t intervene in this crisis the
SOSCA AAAACAV "a WIG 4NCANAA WALL VIC NOAAA.
PEELED to live up to its treaty obligations
with the U. S. S. r. and invade Sweden.
The same hint was given by Berlin and
Moscow to the Oslo government.
Thus, both these countries, which to-
gether could have mustered over 1,000,-
900 men to resist Russia's aggression, are
keeping quiet, hoping for the best and
fearing the worst. They are like the
sheep which is hypnotized by the boa
constructor. They know that they are
going to be gobbled up piece-meal, yet
they don't dare get together to defend
themselves.
Merely . Forerunner.
The Finnish incident" is only the
forerunner of further conquests which
are bound to take place in the course of
the next few months.
The situation remains stabilized on the
western front. The Germans and the
allies facing each other dare not attempt
to break through the respective fortif-
cations But while the allies can re-
main static-for . while at least the