STOCKHOLM TALKS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20072, 19 October 1939, Page 5

STOCKHOLM TALKS

KINGS CONFER SCANDINAVIAN AIMS .... ! NEUTRALITY IN WAR BERLIN CONJECTURES POSSIBLE PEACE MOVE ' (Eioc. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Rc-cd Oct. 19, 9 a.m.) LONDON. Oct. 18. I Messages from Stockholm state that the Kings of Norway, Sweden and Denmark and the President of Finland, M. Kallio, whose conference opened to-day, were expected to reaffirm Scandinavia’s determination to j remain neutral in the war, but rum- | ours of a direct move for peace are j discounted. ! It wvs expected that the conferj cnee would certainly discuss the Russian advance in the Baltic, but it was deemed unlikely that Finland | would receive a promise of military l aid. | The Berlin correspondent of the New York Times in a message despatched yesterday stated that neutral diplomatic circles in Berlin were convinced that important mediation initiative could be expected from the conference at Stockholm. A visit paid by Dr. Sven Hedin, the Swedish explorer, to Herr I-litler on Monday was interpreted as representing a mission inspired by King Gustav of Sweden for the purpose of sounding German official sentiment. "It is believed that Herr Hitler was sympathetic, but was insistent that he had nothing to add to his Reichstag declaration.” continued the correspondent. "If Dr. Sven Hedin brought insufficient encouragement from the interview, it is expected that the conference will appeal to President Roosevelt or Signor Mussolini to approach the belligerents on the question of an early armistice. The Scandinavians are not expected to assume the ultimate responsibility for such a major diplomatic move, since they are too deeply involved in domestic problems resulting from the blockade.