Evening star., 1939-10-19
Nordic Solidarity

s>0t0IS SOtu00luy
Europe's tortuous post World War
history is not replete with such graft
flying examples of international soli-
darity as that in Stockholm yesterday
and today. Subsequent to Soviet
RuSsia's threat to Finnish independ-
ence, the Kings of Denmark and Nor
way and the President of Finland
were called into conference by King
Gustav of Sweden, nominally to take
common counsel on ways and means
to safeguard Scandinavian neutrality
in the European war and to maintain
normal trade among themselves and
the rest of the world amid the dislo-
cations inseparable from armed con-
f1ict between sea powers.
Despite the emphasis laid on neu-
trallty and trade questions during
the conference, it is an open secret
that its underlying purpose is to pool
the views of the four northern coun-
tries as to what could or should be
done Cd to preserve Finland from
any menace to her independence at
the hands of the Soviet Union, and
(2) to make certain that Commun-
ism's westward advance into and
across the Baltic would not impinge
upon the territorial integrity of the
three Scandinavian kingdoms or the
security of the democratic institu-
tions so deeply rooted in each of
them.
Nothing is so far forthcoming from
Stockholm which throws light on de-
cisions which may have been taken
by King Gustav. King Christian, King
Haakon and Finnish President Kali
lilo. But they are reported to have
deliberated in an atmosphere of Wis
IDLY relaxed tension as far as any i'm
possible Russian demands on Finland
are concerned. Helsinki, which has
not yet disclosed exactly what Stain
is asking, reflects confidence that ne
gotiations will be conducted with
Moscow on a basis far less perilous to
Finland than the political, economic,
military and naval concessions wrung
by Russia from Estonia, Latvia and
Lithuania.
In her determination not to don
the Red yoke, Finland enjoys the
moral support not only of her Scan
dinavian neighbors and racial breth-
rem, but of the United States and all
the other twenty Americas. Just as
the Stockholm Conference was as
sembling on Wednesday, President
Roosevelt dispatched personal mes
sage to the King of Sweden, saying
that "the conference of the Nordic
states will be followed with deep in
terest by the Government and people
of the United States" adding that
under the circumstances which
exist, the Washington Government
joins with the governments of the
other American republics in express
ing it's support of the principle OF
neutrality and order under law for
which the nations represented at
Stockholm have, throughout their
history, taken a consistent stand.
The Presidents language is couched
in the studied and cautious phrase
ology of diplomacy. But plainly to
be read between It's lines is it's real
import-that the peoples Of the
Western Hemisphere, who form a
solid bastion of democracy on this
side of the Atlantic, recognize as
fellow standard-bearers of that ideal
in Europe the four Scandinavian ma
tions now convened in council at a
moment Of anxiety and possible peril.
1t is a message to them and to all
others concerned that the western
world would not view without con-
Germ any development designed to
undermine free government even in
the remote region of the Arctic Circle.
Soviet President Kalinin's reply to
President Roosevelt's appeal for
square deal for Finland, while not
committing Stain to keep maraud-
ing hands off Finland, breathes a
note of restraint and conciliation in
dicating that the Union of Socialist
Soviet Republics is stopping, looking
and listening before proceeding to
such extremes as it invoked to
harness the Estonians, Latvians and
Lithuanians to the Communist
chariot.