The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-06-22

The propaganda line Of argu-
ment which the Firms have been
freely handing around to congress-
men, U. s. government officials and
newspapermen has been definitely
contrary to what are now conceived
to be Americas best interests in the
war, If not actually bordering close
ly on the seditious. Only American
democracy and freedom of speech
let them get away without as long
as they did.
Since the latest Russian drive be-
gan north Of Leningrad the Finnish
diplomats in Washington have been
attempting to spread the idea that
this was to be the extent of the
Soviet army's offensive as COM
panion blow to the American, Cana
dian and British invasion of west
ern Europe.
RED STALL IMPLIED
This was carried even further by
the inference that Soviet Russia
would make no further attempts to
push the German armies bask on
the eastern front, that the Red
armies might advance to the line
which Moscow wanted for its west
ern border on Germany occupy the
territories it wanted to bring into
the U. S. S. r., then leave the
actual Job of beating Germany to
Americans and the British. No
matter how sincerely the Firms may
have believed this themselves, It was
considered rather vicious effort to
spread dissension among the United
Nations and It was resented by
many of the Washingtonians who
heard 1t.
Finnish criticism Of the United
States for its said to Soviet Russia
became more open after the drive
against southern Finland began q
few days ago. The criticism was
leveled against this country for fur
nishing the Soviet with arms which
could be used against the Firms,
with whom the United States was
not at war. That line didn't sit
well, either.
One Of the stock propositions
which Finnish propaganda tried to
promote was an idea that Germany
should say to the western powers
something like this: "As you invade
Europe, the German armies will
give ground as you advance. The
German armies will continue to re-
treat across France, the low coun-
tries, across Germany itself, until
the American and British armies
have occupied all of the Baltic
states. Poland and the Balkans.
The German armies In the east will
In the meantime hold the line
against Russia. When the American
and British armies shall have
reached the Russian frontier. then
the German armies will lay down
their arms"
FTNNS' DREAM:
ALLIES VS.. RUSSIA
The fiiendish ingenuity of this
plan from the Finnish point Of view
Is easy to see. What the Firms were
after in sponsoring this idea was to
hamstring Russia and eventually
bring the armies Of the western
powers up against the armies of
the Soviet. Continuously the Firms
have preached the doctrine that the
United States and Great Britain
must eventually break with the
Soviet and they have seized upon
everything they could do to pro-
mote that discord. even to counting
known anti Russian and isoiationist
leaders In Washington.
American patience with the Fin
nish government in Helsinki is a
matter Of long record and the ef-
forts Of the American government
to get Finland out Of the war have
been numerous, being based on nat
uraI sympathies and sincere respect
for the Finnish people. Final arm
istice terms offered Finland by the
Soviet earlier this year were adj
mittedly severe as to reparations
expected. but when the Firms made
no counter proposal and seemed
totally disinterested In getting
themselves out OF the war, the sus-
picion grew in this country that the
present Finnish government was
definitely pro-Nazl and under Ger
man domination. That's what led TO
the present rupture in Washington,
though the actual proof Of It can
not be disclosed at this time.