READY TO PARLEY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20110, 2 December 1939, Page 6

READY TO PARLEY

FINNISH CABINET j DOUBTS OF SOVIET j TERJOKI "GOVERNMENT” | COMINTERN OFFICIAL I LONDON RECOLLECTIONS j (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) ! (British Official Wireless.) Reed. 12.30 p.m. RUGBY, Dec. I.j The new Prime Minister oi Finland, i M. Rvti is, well known in London, | where he has been a frequent visitor. He is a Knight Commander of the | Victorian Order It is understood in London that M. j Ryii's Government would be prepared i to" enter into relations with the Soviet j Government on .the basis of a military! standstill. There is. however, no expectation; that the Soviet Government, on its: side, will take advantage of the spirit;

of accommodation manifested by M. Ryti's Government in order to bring the hostilities io an end.

This view gains confirmation from! the announcement by the Moscow j radio of the formation of what purposes to be a new Finnish Government at Terjoki. This news is read, in Londoq in the light of passages in M. Molotov’s midnight broadcast] on Wednesday in whicn the Soviet Prime Minister let it be understood | that, given an orientation of Finnish | policy" in the direction desired by: Moscow, the Soviet Government would ! be willing to allow a reunion of the Karelian population of the Soviet j Union with the Karelians of Finland I under what M.. Molotov was pleased! to describe as an “independent” Fin- ; nish Government. j It has not been overlooked in Lon- j don that the leader of the new and j presumably "independent" Soviet Government which has been formed at Terjoki is M. Otto Kussimen. who was for some years the secretary of the Comintern and is remembered in Britain as one of the signatories of the "Zinoviev letter" which figured prominently at the general elections in Britain 15 years ago.

Reports from the British Minister at Helsinki, Mr. T. M. Snow, indicate that the Finnish Government has no present intention of evacuating the capital and Mr. Snow is remaining at his post.