Evening star., 1943-04-24
Threat Of Nazi Coup
In Finland Seen as
Factor in New Crisis
Withdrawal Of American
Legation stoff Moy
Force Showdown
Y the Associated Press

Force Showdown
BY the Associated Press.
The threat of NaI coup in Fin
land, inspired by Hitler's growing
fears for his European fortress
and designed to set up a 100 per
cent pro-Axis government, was seen
in diplomatic quarters here today
as one of the factors behind Hell
sinks newest crisis.
And it was expected to force
final showdown in the little nations
strange war triangle.
Latest move in the long standing
crisis came yesterday when most
of the American Legation staff sud-
denly left the Finnish capital and
a strict censorship was promptly
clamped on all political dispatches
out of Finland.
There has been no American
Minister in Finland since H. F. Ar
thur Schoenfeld was recalled to
Washington last December, and the
exodus left behind in Helsinki only
Charge d'Affaires Robert Mills Nc
Chntock and one clerk.
Called Administrative Move"
The State Department described
the move as administrative" and
refused to throw further light on it,
but the Capital watched closely to
see what bearing it might have on
the question whether Finland is to
tie up still more closely to Ger
many or attempt to separate herself
from Hitlers war against Russia.
1t was seen in some quarters here
and abroad as another American
move in a war of nerves" aimed
at prying Finland loose from her
NaZi associates. Another view, how
ever, was that mounting Nazi pres
sure and the menace of German
inspired coup called for precaution-
ary evacuation of all but skeleton
legation staff. 1t was recalled that
about $50 Americans, diplomats and
others, fell into German hands when
the Wehrmacht occupied all of
France last November and the Vichy
government broke relations with the
United States.
Stockholm dispatches said the
transfer of the American staff
from Helsinki was regarded as
close to an actual break in rela-
tons.
(Unconfirmed reports circulat-
ed in Stockholm that Sir Henrik
Ramsy, the Finnish Foreign Min
lister, had recently been in Berlin.
Helsinki officials declined to dis
cuss the report. 1t also was re-
ported that in recent weeks the
Finnish Ambassador to Berlin,
.Toivo Mikael Kivimaki, had been
called in several times by the
German Foreign Minister, Jo-
achim Won Ribbentrop, who was
said to have been angered by
signs that the Firms were ready
to clear pro-German elements
out of the government0
Integral Part of Crisis.
Looked at from the point of view
of German strategy, Finland's sit
uation seemed an integral part OF
the crisis facing Hitler's fortress
Of Europe"
Obviously on the Fuehrer's mind
in recent months has been the
question of safeguarding his conti-
Mental stronghold from Allied in
vasion. He has been looking to his
buiwarks in all directions, calling
into conference one by one of the
leaders Of the satellite states whose
territory lies between Germany and
the poised invasion forces of the
western Allies.
So long as an Allied invasion of
the continent seemed only very
distant danger, Hitler could afford
to allow Finland the luxury of
strictly limited participation in the
war-joint military operations with
Germany against the Soviet Union,
but continued isolation from Ger
many's war against the United
States
Humoring Finland's reluctance to
sever all ties with her long standing
friends across the sea may have
seemed safe enough then, especially
If 1t insured more enthusiastic
Finnish cooperation against Rus
sia,
Invasion Threat at Hand.
Now, however, the threat of in
vasion is imminent Allied forces
might strike at any point on the
periphery of Europe-might even
strike from the north through Fin
land.
Hence the mounting German pres
sure on Finland for an all-out asso-
citation with the Axis and an end to
talk of withdrawal from the conflict
against Russia for the sake of
salvaging relations with the United
States.
SAmerican pressure, of course, has
keen in the opposite direction, sup.
ported by the undoubted war-weari-
hess of the Firms and a quarter
century of close and friendly rela-
tions with the United States
But America is far away and Ger
many is terribly near. German
troops are garrisoned in Finland and
Finland looks to Germany for food
For almost two years the little
republic has managed to wage war
against Russia without cutting her
self completely off from the United
States-but now the end seems near.
NIL