Evening star., 1942-11-26
African Stroke Gives
Firms New Ideas as
To Outcome Of War
Majority Do Not Conceal
Their Admiration for
Allied initiative
Ry PAIT, GHAII

Chitago Daily News
BERN, Nov. 26.-The launching of
the United Nations world offensive
and its initial successes have had
marked repercussions in little Fin
land, where surprises in the foreign
political sphere may be expected in
the not too distant future.
All reports reaching here indi-
cate that the Finnish government.
press and people have different
Ideas today as to the outcome of the
war than those entertained in the
summer of last year, when Hitler
first bearded the Russian Bear
One of the most interesting signs
of this revised opinion has been the
striking change in the censOrs' pol
icy, allowing the Finnish press to
voice the deep impression made on
the country by North African
events. A few isolated voices have
expressed concern as to the effect
that the opening of the North At
rican front will have on the Russian
campaign. The great ajority have
not concealed their admiration for
the Allied initiative and the turn
ing point in the war it has brought
about.
Loudly Praising Democracy.
Another immediate effect of the
Allied successes has been the abso-
lutte flood of declarations on the part
of the Finnish political press con-
cerning Finland's war aims. Fin
lands only concern, they have all
stressed, is to defend the freedom
of democratic institutions. Never
before has Finland, the ally of total
itarian Germany, sung so loudly and
defiantly the praises of democracy.
The most interesting reaction of
the Firms these days is the sudden
discovery of a strong feeling of Soli-
darity with their Scandinavian
neighbors. A short while ago the
Finnish press was making repeated
bitter attacks on their Swedish
neighbors. Today politicians and
neWspapermen vie with one another
In attempts to WOO Sweden's friend
ship.
Finnish Social Affairs Minister
Fagerholm recently declared in
Stockholm that FinIand's first
thoughts were centered these days
on the north and northern collab-
grafton. 1t will be Swedens greatest
mission after the war, he asserted,
to reunite the northern peoples.
Then, raising his glass, he toasted
the future free northern coun-
tries"
Union of Northern States.
simultaneously, one of the most
Influential Finnish provincial news
papers, the Abo Underraettelser
came out with a plea for the crea-
ton Of union of northern states,
comprising Sweden, Finland, Nor
way Denmark and Iceland. with its
man objective the military defense
of the north. This journal strongly
advocated immediate preparations
for such a union.
A free northern union would nat
urally completely upset the Nazi
plan for the greater German union,
and its sponsorship by an Axis
ally therefore, is most enlighten-
ing
This proposal is all the more in
teresting as indicating the plan Fin
nish politicians may be entertaining
in order to disentangle their country
from an extremely embarrassing
position, now that the wars out
come no longer appears such an un-
known quantity. Their plan may be
with Russia and immediate union
with Sweden as the nucleus of the
northern federation to be formed
after the war.
Thinking of Separate Peace.
That Finland still thinks of a
separate peace is evidenced by the
extreme importance attached these
days to its link with the United
States Also Illuminating are Fin
nish reactions to the removal of
Lord Privy Seal Sir Stafford Cripps
from the British war cabinet. In
Finnish eyes, Cripps embodied sub
serVience' to the Soviet Union and
his removal, therefore, is welcomed.
Commenting on that, the Svenska
Pressen of Helsinki writes that
Grips always spoke as though the
assurances of the Atlantic Charter
concerning territorial changes had
never been given.
Clearly, the Firms today are
counting more than ever on the
United States influence with Russia
when the time comes for settling
their country's eastern frontier
Meanwhile, they regard Grips
degradation" as a good omen for
England'S good Offices
Democratic little Finland never
liked its position in the totalitarian
camp while a gargantuan struggle
was being Waged between the demo-
cratic and totalitarian worlds. She
likes it still less today when recent
events have brought about the most
decisive turn in this struggle. More
than ever, Finland would like to
get out" But how, and where?
Perhaps free northern union is the
answer