Evening star., 1942-07-18
Tension With Finland

The rupture of consular relations
with Finland, on the State Depart
ment's initiative, is significant chiefly
for what it may portend on the dip
lomatic side. The technical grounds
which the department recites to ex-
plain its action give no hint of the
larger political considerations that
undoubtedly lie behind.
The departments official an
nouncement states that our consular
officers in Finland have been re-
stricted by the Finnish government
in the exercise of their functions as
provided for under the existing
Treaty Of Commerce and Consular
Rights between the two nations, and
that the Finnish government has
procrastinated on recognizing the
appointment of new American Vice
Consul to Helsinki, the Finnish capi-
tai. The department has therefore
put an end to an "untenable situa-
ton" by closing its consulate in Fin
land and by requesting the Finnish
government to close it's eleven con-
sular Offices in the United States by
August l.
Legally there seems to have been
treaty violation by the Finnish gov
ernment which, just a year ago,
ruled that consular matters should
thenceforth be handled entirely
through the Finnish Foreign Ministry
rather than directly with local au-
thorities. This action" says the
State Department, had the direct
effect of denying to American con-
sular officers in Finland the specific
treaty rights mentioned above"
However. the Finnish government
explained at the time that its action
was taken lin view of wartime condi-
tions," referring to the war with
Russia that had begun a month pre-
vious. In it's present announcement,
the State Department does not speci-
fy any cases of injury to American
interests or nationals due to that
restriction, nor can there be much
consular business in Finland since
the virtual stoppage of trade between
the two countries, due to wartime
conditions which render direct COM
mercial contact impossible. The
Finnish government had these fac
tors in mind when it expressed sur
prise at Washington action and said
it could not see the reason.
That, however, is begging the real
question, which has little to do with
consular restrictions but much to do
with Finland's foreign policy. From
the day when Finland aligned itself
with Germany in war against the
Soviet Union, the hitherto excellent
relations between Finland and Amer
ica were subjected to regrettable
strain. This was intensified when
America became directly embroiled
with the Axis and closely allied with
Russia. Today, when Russia stands
in deadly peril from the mammoth
German drive, and when its Arctic
lifeline is endangered partly by Axis
use of Finnish bases, the problem OF
Finnish-American relations becomes
almost insuperable.
Washington has long been under
diplomatic pressure from Russia to
follow Britain's admittedly reluctant
example and treat Finland as an
unavoidable enemy. That America
has refrained from such action
speaks volumes for the depth OF oul
friendly feelings toward Finland and
the understanding of the hard posi-
tion in which she finds herself. But
the iron logic of total war seems to
be driving us remorselessly toware
diplomatic measures of a sternel
character. Is is one of the Saddest
aspects of an evil time.