Evening star., 1942-07-26
Finland Expresses
Regret al u. 5. Order
To Close ConsuIates
Legation Here Announces
Action Is Contrary
To HeIsinki's Sentiments

The Finnish government has for
mally expressed "astonishment and
regret to the United States concern
ing American action in Severlng
consular relations with Finland, the
Finnish Legation here announced
last night.
While this action does not cor
respond to Finland's aims and in
tentions in her relations TO the
United States, the announcement
said, Minister Hlalmar J. Procope
has received instructions to comply
with a State Department request to
close all Finnish consulates in this
country by August /.
The Helsinki government empha-
sized in note replying to the
American request, the Legation said,
the particular and greater con-
Venience the measure implies for
Finland especially through the clos
ing of Finland's Consulate General
in New York, acting as it does in
center of world economic activities"
The consulate general and the
nine other Finnish consulate Offices
All 1ltddtu ny AoilSbic "AAo
are American citizens, "aTe now in
liquidation and will be closed before
the end of this month" the Legation
added.
Based on Year Old Order.
Closing of the American consulate
Offices in Helsinki and request for
closing of Finnish consular offices
here was announced by the State
Department on July Is, with the
explanation that Finland had un-
dermined the basis" on which con-
sular representatives had been main
tanned there, and had denied Ameri-
can consular officers their treaty
rights.
The State Department referred
then to a year-old Finnish order
requiring all foreign consular officers
In Finland to conduct their business
through the foreign minister in
stead of with local officials as had
been provided by treaty, and to the
withholding of provisional recogm-
ton Of a newly appointed American
vice consul.
The Finnish Legation statement
last night said the rule centralizing
consular activities applied to. all
countries alike and that no obJec-
tions were raised to it from any
quarter at the time of its issuance
or later
Helsinki wanted to postpone con-
sular recognition of Lewis A. Gleeck
loi,,o eiy,cn he
going to Helsinki anyway as a Lega-
ton secretary and recognition as a
consul would not increase his posi-
bilties of action" in view of the
centralizing rule, the Legation
added.
The American request for closing
of the consulates brought a reply
from the Helsinki government, the
Legation said. expressing astonlsh-
ment at this step as 1t was hardly
conceivable that a measure one year
old like the note of July II. l94l,
should without customary previous
exchanges of views bring about
step as far-reaching as the ycessa-
ton of consular relations"
Denies ACtlOn JuStllltu.
The Legation also made public
memorandum of the Helsinki gov
ernment commenting on a story by
the Reuters news agency which in
dicated that Finland took the initial
step leading to the consulate
closings. -
Finland did not adopt any meas
ures justifying the severing OF the
consular relations the memoran-
dunn said. 1t went on to explain
the "centralizing rules" applied for
the duration Of the war to all con-
sular activities in Finland.
The Finnish newspaper Kan
sanlehti, representing the labor
party, largest in Finland, has writ
ten of the rupture of consular re-
lations:
I'VE have every reason to ueplore
the step taken by Washington. 1t is
to be hoped that this action does
not lead to a final breach in the
diplomatic relations. The American
Government must still be aware of
the real nature of Finland's fight.
The fight We are waging against
Russia is only TO secure our own
freedom"