Evening star., 1939-10-13
Finnish-Soviet Talks
Held No Cause for
Alarm for u. ).
- Lone-Distonce Policy
= To Curb Germans
In BuItic Seen
BY NEGLEY FARsON.

ny NEUAE ThnSONs
COPENHAGEN, Oct. 13 N.A.-
N.A.).-The Finnish Russian crisis
is expected here to be settled
without armed confict-but with
important revelations indicating
Russia's long distance foreign policy
in the Baltic and Black Sea areas.
Whatever interest" the United
States has shown has been greatly
appreciated in Finland. The Amer
ican representations in Moscow un-
questionably bettered the situation.
However, the predicament Of Fin
land basically seems to be not 30
critical as has been accepted.
The foreign minister Of Finland,
Elias Erkko, declared to this cor.
respondent over the telephone yes
terday that he was unable to make
any definite statement on the eve
Of the talks in Moscow between
Finnish and Russian representa-
tives, but he insisted that all the
press reports of the Russians de-
mands were baseless, as the Firms
themselves had heard nothing to
confirm them.
Erkko added, "But we are deeply
grateful for the interest the United
States has already shown" Other
highly placed Firms echoed this
declaration of gratitude to America.
Swedes Deny Reports.
The Films have not ordered
mobilization. The report that
Sweden would automatically move
II the Russians crossed the Finnish
border was decried today by we'll
informed Swedes when I telephoned
to Stockholm. The Swedes concur
in the view that the Finnish Rus
sian talks probably will end peace
fully-with Finland probably sur
rendering a few small, rocky islands
to allow Russia to protect the flank
Of the Kronstadt naval base.
Informed circles here believe that
Russias greater policy is to keep
the Germans from the Black Sea.
Therefore, the Russians are hasten-
ing to complete an iron ring of de-
fense" in the Baltic, which one day
they will probably need against Ger
many. Thus, 1t is believed, they do
not want any Finnish territory
other than the small strategic
islands. An additional factor is the
Soviet unwillingness to ALLEVIATE the
sympathies of Scandinavian Social
list, labor and radical movements.
See Shift to Southeast.
Once the Baltic is considered stra-
logically safe, the Russians will turn
toward Rumania and the Black Sea,
1t is expected. This is viewed as
the reason for the pressure exerted
by Moscow to make the Turks agree
to close the Dardanelles to all but
ships of the Black Sea powers. The
Russians might retake Bessarabia-
on the other hand, they might
eventually save Rumania and Bull
garia from succumbing to German
domination.
The Russians perhaps are not
strong enough to dominate the Bal
tic, but they are expected to be
strong enough to see that it is not
dominated by any other power.
Then they are expected to say to
Germany that Elsinore, Denmark.
can be considered the Istanbul of
the Baltic and that the Germans
thus can dominate Denmark's con-
troll over the entrance to the Baltic
while, in a similar way, Russia,
with a small Rumania, a small Bull
garia and friendly Turkey, can
close the entrance to the Black Sea.
Swedish observers believe that
the real Finnish negoti-
ations will not be completed until
after October 18, when Soviet troops
| are to enter Estonia.