Evening star., 1940-03-10
Swedes Offer Passage to Army
But Demand Allies Send 10000:
Italians Bow to Coal Blockade
Stockholm Insists
Force Be Adequate
To Stop Russia

force Be Adequate
To Stop Russia
~ the Associated Press.
LONDON, March 9.-The war cab
anets Of Great Britain and France,
weighing the tremendous gamble Of
fighting two wars instead Of one to
keep Germany from Strengthening
herself through negotiated Russo
Finnish peace, were reported au-
thoritatively tonight to have re-
ceived blunt notice from Sweden
that they must send a full army
corps to Fi,iland's aid, or no troops
ut all.
The Swedes, alt.4ough clinging to
the hope that they have set in mo-
tion . successful peace project, were
understood to have informed the
British government that If an allied
expeditionary force Is sent to Fin
land In spite of everything, it must
not be . mere 10000 or 10000 men.
Sweden, 1t was stated, will make
every effort short of war to forestall
passage Of such an Inadequate
force through Scandinavia.
The reason for this, reliable Scan
d1nAvtan sources explained, is that
such . force would not be able to
check Russia or Germany If the
presence In the north of allied troops
en- route to Finland were utilized as
m excuse for invasion of Scandina-
via by Russia or Germany. Sweden.
1t was felt, would be endangered di-
rectly by allied military intervention
In Finland.
In other words, small allied
force would be just as much excuse
for Russian or German invasion as a
big one, and would be no help as 9
defense Of Sweden.
Corps Of $4,000 Suggested.
Moreover, the swedes were repre-
sented assfeeling that . mere 10000
or 10000 men would be but drop
in the bucket" as an aid to Finland
herself.
On the other hand Q consider
able force"-an army CORDS Of
roughly $4,000 men was used Is an
sxample-would be something en-
tirely different, and tonight's in
formants said the Swedes would
gratefully welcome" 1t, especially
II It were accompanied by warships
and planes.
Up to now Sweden has said she
would refuse the passage Of any
foreign force, and much signifi-
eauce u attached to the contention
q the allied press. that, under the
League Of Nations Covenant, Swe-
den Is obligated ~ let troops 60
Through to aid Finland.
Tonight there we're indications
of tightening British censorship
On reports concerning possible dis
patch Of allied troops to the north.
But through the curtain of state
secrecy this much came from sources
close to the British foreign office:
Great Britain and France feel
that they cannot let Finland fall
before Soviet Russia, either 1t the
green table or In battle. But they
are faced by Q grave dilemma: Can
they aid Finland with troops, bat
tleships and planes without push
ing Russia into full dress military
alliance with Germany? Can they
provide enough troops for both
France and Scandinavia?
Peace Move Laid to Reich. y
, In France the rigidly controlled
press was permitted to mention the
possibility that an allied expedi-
tionary force might be sent to Fin
land II Finland gives the word. At
Nthe same time sources close to the
Quai d'Orsay openly expressed the
suspicion that the move to end the
northern war at Finland's expense
was directly traceable to German
diplomatic maneuvers in conjunc-
ton with Moscow and with neutral
Sweden.
It Is easy for the French and the
British to see how Germany might
gain from this. Not only could the
U. 8. s. RS attention be turned
to helping Germany economically
once she is free from preoccupation
In Finland, but the ultimate result
OF German mediation might be q
great extension of German influence
In Scandinavia, source of many of
the supplies she needs.
The work of making peace, seem
lngly In q final stage, appeared now
to be largely in the hands of Ger.
many and Russia. There were indi.
cations that the scene of negotia-
tions had shifted to either Moscow
or Riga, but there was no inclination
by anyone in the know to throw Ngh,
on their progress.
!, Sweden, more or less finished Will
her role In providing Finnish Rus.
sian negotiators with "fron'
parlor," believed that DR.. Juhu Just
1aasikiW, who may be Finland,
plenipotentiary, was on his way /,
No0eow. The former Finnish presi.
: INIT, Per Evid svinhufvud, who IL
(see LONDON, Page A-s.)
Talk Of Arnold Drive
Halted at Union Meeting
~ the Associated Press.