Evening star., 1944-06-17

ACdN4Al6 VAlC ANS6UAO1l dAIVA
calling upon Mr.. Procope.
Finnish
CONTINUED From First Page.)
Legation remains open, and Alex
ander Tresleff, q diplomatic secre-
tary, is still recognized as the official
representative of his government.
Offcial Statement.
The State Department announced
its action in brief official state
ment, saying:
'The Minister Of Finland, Mr..
Hjalmar j. Procope, and three
counselors of the Finnish Legation ),
Mr.. T. o. Vahervuori, Mr.. Urho
Toivola and Mr.. Resto Solanka,
were handed their passports at S
pm. today and requested to leave
the country at the earliest possible
moment because of activities on
their part inimical to the interests
of the United States.
This action does not constitute
q rupture In diplomatic relations
with Finland"
The State Department declined to
specify the nature OF the "inimical"
activities charged against the four.
However, there long have been re-
ports in diplomatic circles here that
the Finnish Minister in his CONVEX
sations has been free in expressing
pro- German sentiments and in pro-
noting suspicion Of the Russians In
the minds Of their American allies.
Envoy Had Peculiar Position. 4,
/, It is recognized that Mr.. Procope's
position here has been. j peculiar
enc, representing, as he did, e. 41a-
don allied with Germany III nwar
against Americas ally, Russia 'a
Great Britain long since has not
only broken on diplomatic relations
with Finland, but also declared war
against her. The State Depart
ment, however, has been working
constantly to promote peace nego-.
tiations between Russia and Finland
and draw the latter nation out Of
the war. ~ ~ E.s'
,hne view Of this, the reported pfo-
German attitude Of the Minister ana
his stan has been tolerated, although
MI. Procope some months ago was
advised by the State Department
not to hold press conferences or issue
public statements.
Apparently the complete break
down OF the Finnish Russian peace
negotiations and the recently opened
Red Army drive into Finland per-
suaded Secretary of State Hull that
the presence here of Mr.. Procope
and his counsellors held no further
hope of promoting a Russian Fin
nish peace.
No Plans Announced.
Oficials early today could not
say what plans would be made to
transport Mr.. Procope, his staff and
their families home. 1t was pointed
out, however, that they could 60
under safe conduct passes by COM
mercial air line to England and
civil plane from there to Sweden
and thence across that neutral
country into Finland.
During the early part of Mr..
Procope's stay here, he was ex-
tremely popular with both the
State Department and the Amer
lean public. His country established
considerable prestige by continu-
ing to pay its World War debts
when others defaulted, and when
Russia invaded Finland in the win
ter of 1939-40, both official and
popular sympathy here was with
the Firms.
When, in 1910, Mr. Procope mar
ried the former Miss Maragret
Shaw, British subject, the cere-
mony was held in the Virginia home
of R. Walter Moore, then counsellor
of the State Department.
U. S. Envoy Back Two Years.
The State Department action
now leaves the Finnish Legation
here in virtually the same status as
the American Legation in Helsinki
About two years ago the American
Minister there, H. F.. Arthur Schoen-
field, was recalled "for consultation"
and never returned to his post. Since
then the mission has been in,charge
of a secretary, Edmund Gullion.
The only three instances in Amer
ican history comparable to the pres
ent one which authorities could re-
call today involved the election of
Citizen Genet of France, Lord Sack
ville-West and Dr.. Dumba M.
Genet was asked by President Wash
ington to leave because he attempted
to stir up the American public
against England and in behalf of
France, completely ignoring the
Government.
Lord Sackville- West was found to
have written letter to a natural
lied American citizen, formerly a
British subject. in 1881, suggesting
that the reelection of President
Cleveland would be more favorable
to Great Britain than that of his
Republican opponent, Benjamin
Harrison. He was declared persona
non grata, and London replaced
him
The Austrian government was
asked to recall DR.. Dumba after
American officials discovered he
had written letter to his govern
ment suggesting the fomenting of
labor trouble here to interfere with
the production of steel mills sup
plying materiel to the Allies.
Every mile our boys win means