SOVIET LAURELS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20114, 7 December 1939, Page 5

SOVIET LAURELS

"CYNICAL DISHONESTY" NORWEGIAN SCORN BITTER DANISH VIEW FEELING IN GENEVA (Reed. Dec. 7, 11.50 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 6. An Oslo message states that the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten bitterly attacks the Soviet. “World history has many examples of lies and fallacies, but the Soviet is now the champion of cynical dishonesty,” states the paper. “Recent events have shown the Soviet deep in the swamp of barbaric unfairness. It is unthinkable that the League of Nations can trust the note sent on Monday by the Soviet Prime Minister, M. Molotov.” A Copenhagen message states that all parties walked out of the Danish Parliament when the Communist Leader, M. Larsen, rose to speak. Later a Nazi member asked the Prime Minister, M. Stauning, was it not high time there was a rupture in RussianDanish relations. M. Stauning replied in the negative. A Geneva message states that the Secretary-General of the League of Nations, M. Avenol, •states: “Further economies are hardly possible. The time has come to decide whether the maintenance of international institutions is desired.” The Russian and Finnish delegates sat at the same table at a meeting of the League Budgetary Committee. The 'Russian delegate, M. Maisky, remained expressionless while M. Avenol explained that the reduction of one-third in the 1940 budget was as great as possible without destroying the 'League. M. Avenol implied that if Russia were expelled a further 10 per cent reduction would follow, because Russian contributes 10 per cent of the League’s finances. The Finnish delegate, Dr. Holsti, was equally unmoved when M. Avenol reported that Russia and Finland Shad paid up their 1940 dues.