SCANDINAVIA ALARMED

Chronicle (Levin), 1 March 1948, Page 5

SCANDINAVIA ALARMED

(N.Z.PJL.-

-Reuter.

Russjan Action In Finland Seen As Danger

Coijuright) .

Received Sunday, i.O ]).m. LONDON, Feb. 28. Stalin's pi'oposjil for a nuituai assistance p.iot in Finland, iuis alarmed Finland 's Scandinavi.m neighbours.

The Danish conservative newspa]>er National Tidende, says the "danger is gelt ing nearer". Thc Swedisli Dagensnyheter says: "There is 110 doubt Russian action is directly conneeted with the Goniinuuist coup in Brague. The methods vary but there i« only one aim." The Finnish Soeial Democratic Party's organ Suomen Hociali Demokraatti whieli tidvocates friendship but no pacts with Rus sia, says: "Finnish Goniniunists would be wise to save the news dispatehes l'roin Prague. AVitli small modiiications they niight l)e tiseful for desej'ibing l'uturc developments in Finland." Finnish politieal cireles attrilmte the rcadiness of most parties tt> aecept Stalin 's proposals, iirstlv to a realistie re^ietion to :inv , reijuest from Stalin and, secondly, that Russia is Finland 's only food supplier for 1948, ^siiys Reuter's Helsinki correspondent.

Ihe British Fnitvd Press Ilelsinki correspondent says reliable reports state that Stalin 's letter was not a)i ultimatum, was couehed in frieiidh terms, did not demand a strictly delin ed jiaet, and left rooni for negotiation. l.t was learncd that most politica! parties are ready to aecept Stalin'.[troposai. I'resident Paasikiei anii ' Gabinet discussed tlie proposal lasi night. The Soviet Amhassador, AIi. Savonenkov, ealled on Mr. Paasikivi this afternoon. Polifieal cireles in Helsinki are now discussing ihe ptioce } dure of the Russo-I'innish negotiation." which Stalin proposed. It is learneb

-Mr. P:iasikivi expressed ;i w ish th;0 Parliament iirv groups should diselosc their attitude by March 2. Reuter's Paris eorres[iondent stivs Aurore, a conservative newspa]>er. states that Moscow inteuds to nmke the Finnish Army ;i uuit of the Red Army iis the Jirst step in the enslavement oi the country to the Stalin bloc. Tlu Wapostropheaube, a popular Re.]mblican ' uewspapei', says Alc scow sent a strong man (Geueral Savonenkov) as Ambas sador to Helsinki ior the ostablishnient of Gommunist cells. It will be easv since, as at Pi-ague, the Ministry oi Interior and police are in ( 'ojnniunisi hands. AIoscow radio broadcast the text oi Stalin 's letter to -Mr. Paasikivi. Stalin in his own handwriting, suggested a tretity of triendsliip, cooperation .ino mutual assistance a-nahigous to thc Russo-fiungarian and Russo-Riunaniai treaties. "I assume Finland is no less interested in a pact with tln Soviet Pnion against possible Gerinan aggression," Stalin added. * 'fhe Russian proposal for a military assistance pact with Finland was mad! originally in a letter President Paasi kivi received from Stalin at tlie begin iiuig of tlie week, says tlie Tiines' ilel f rinki correspondent. The proposal doe.not come as a surprise because tluexti eine Lett \\ ing press toi' severai weeks urged the need for ii settlement with Russiii as a securitv measure iigainst foreign " imperialistie " aggres sion. The Tiines diploniatic corre spoudent [loints out tluit such a treatv Vv'ould coinplete the Soviet netvvork of sixuilar pacts with lier neighbours. Tlie Goyennneiit, under Ihe Finnish constitution. must have Parliamentarv approval for military pacts. Tlie Soviet, therei'ore, no doubt is anxious to procure a treatv before the generai election in .Tuly as the Goniniunists lost niany seats in tlie local eleelions in Deeember.