DEEP REGRET

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20109, 1 December 1939, Page 7

DEEP REGRET

FRESH SUFFERING LOSS OF LIFE INDEPENDENT NATION CHAMBERLAIN CRITICAL BELLIGERENT MOVE PROVOCATION DENIED (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (British Official Wireless.) Reed. 11.50 a.m. RUGBY, Nov. 30. In a statement in the House of Commons on the Soviet attack on Finland the Prime Minister, Mr. Neville Chamberlain, declared, amid cheers, that His Majesty’s Government “deeply regrets this fresh attack upon a small independent nation, which must result in fresh suffering and loss of life to innocent people.’’

To Major C. R. Attlee, the Leader of the Opposition, who asked whether the Government had received from the Soviet Government any statement “regarding what appears to be an in- ’ defensible act of unprovoked aggression,” Mr. Chamberlain replied: “No, sir, none, at all.”

He prefaced this declaration with a historical resume of the exchange of views which had been taking place for some time between the Soviet and Finnish Governments “on certain questions, mainly of a strategic character, raised by Russia,” some apprehension having been expressed by the Soviet Government as to the proximity of Leningrad to the Finnish frontier.

After stating the claims understood to have been made by Russia, Mr. Chamberlain said the attitude of the Finnish Government was from the outset unprovocative.

It was known that the Finnish note delivered to Moscow immediately be-

fore the announcement of the rupture of diplomatic relations was of a most conciliatory. character, the Finnish Government having proposed to submit the dispute to arbitration and agreed meanwhile to the withdrawal of troops. Mr. Chamberlain spoke also of the warm welcome by Britain to the United States mediation offer. He referred to the invasion and reports of the bombing of Helsinki, Wiborg, and other centres with loss bf life.