Evening star., 1942-06-07
Finland Put on Spot
With U. 5. by Hitler
Visit 10 Mannerheim
Hull Believes .Fuehrer
Is Using Pressure for
Aid Against Russiu
BY GARNETT ID. HORNER.

BY GARNETT d. HORNER.
Finland was put ION the spot" in
her relations with the United States
by last weeks flying visit from
Adolf Hitler. which Secretary OF
State Hull described yesterday as
part of a desperate attempt" by
Germany to get more effective mill
tary assistance from the Films.
Although this Government saw
some ground for hoping Finland
may resist the increased Nazi
pressure, i, was believed prepared
to take retaliatory action If the
Helsinki government accedes to re-
ported German demands that Fin
nish troops take a more active part
in the battle against Russia.
The delayed declarations of war
against Bulgaria, Hungary and Ru-
mania, signed by President Rose
welt Friday, were recalled in this
connection. Although the Balkan
satellites of the Axis had declared
war against this country last De-
cember, action here was held up
until definite evidence developed
of their actual participation in Hit
ler's military campaign.
Warned Last November.
Finland's position is not strictly
comparable to that of the three
Balkan partners of Hitler, however,
since she has not declared war on
the United States and has not for
mally joined the Axis. She was
warned oficially last November
before this country actually was at
war-that IF Finland desires to
maintain our friendship now and
later, satisfactory evidence must be
forthcoming" that she intends to
discontinue offensive military oper-
ations" against the Soviet.
Although the Finnish govern
ment's reply was not considered
satisfactory and Secretary Hull said
on November 28 that its actions
confirmed our apprehensions that
It Is fully cooperating with the
Hitler forces" the issue did not come
to the forefront again until Hitlers
visit to Finland last Thursday
aroused new concern.
Hitler went ostensibly to congrat-
ulate Field Marshal Baron Manner
helm on the Finnish Army leaders
birthday, but In the background
were reports of Nazi alarm over
Finnish disinclination to join in any
large-Scale new offensive against
Russia
1T is evident" Secretary Hull
said when asked for this Govern
ment's reaction, that the visit is a
deliberate ruse on the part of the
Germans to compromise Finland
further in the eyes of the anti-Axis
world and cover for the desperate
attempt of Hitler to induce Finland
TO make further contributions to the
Axis military campaign
Watching Results Closely.
In what was construed as an in-
direct warning to Finland Mr.. Hull
added:
I'VE are watching the situation
most closely to see whether this
visit Of Hitler results in any greater
degree Of cooperation with Hitler
against the United Nations"
He pointed out that "a reported
statement yesterday of a Finnish
spokesman in Helsinki may be in
terpreted to mean that Finland is
baking at the German pressure"
An Associated Press dispatch
from Helsinki quoted a government
spokesman as saying after Hitler's
visit that Finland would continue
to steer a strictly independent
course" The spokesman added that
Finland wanted to maintain her
friendship with the United States
at all costs, although national de-
tense forces her to keep men in the
deld against Soviet threats"
Finland has insisted that she was
waging only defensive war"
against Russia, free from all politi-
cal obliga tions" to Germany, con-
tending that she had to occupy
some adjacent Soviet territory as a
measure of self protection.
| Before the United States became
IN active ally of Russia, Secretary
Hull told Finnish Minister Hjalmar
]. Procope last October that he was
glad to see Finland recover her lost
territory" but that "the real issue is
whether the. Firms shall, over and
Above necessary defense require
ments, furnish extremely valuable
aid to the Germans in their efforts
to blockade the shipment of Ameri-
can and British supplies to Russia
through such ports as Murmansk
and Archangel"
In the same conversation, Mr..
Hull said that even his desire ito
see our fine relations" continue was
''beside the governing question" of
whether Finland was going to carry
on military operations against
Russia to the extent desired by
Germany.
At that time, this Government
was attempting to persuade Finland
to make separate peace with the
Soviet, which Russia was willing to
negotiate on the basis of territorial
concessions with Finland. 1t Is un-
certain, however, whether this offer