BRITAIN SUED

Hokitika Guardian, 8 October 1931, Page 3

BRITAIN SUED

CLAIM BY EX LA XII). INCIDENT OF WAR-TIME. It may be regarded as a demonstration of the equality of States on the League of Nations stage that a: n.o next League Council m.cling ,u Geneva Great Britain is to be formally arraigned by Finland (writes a correspondent of the London “Observer”). Ihe subject of dispute is of trading importance internationally, ami the d'spate itself -is living no appreciable elf ct on the general relations between the two eountr as, but an Lucies ting iTC" story vvil be brought to lght when the Council has the matt . r I d before it at Geneva. I lie whole thing go s ba'-k some "15 years or frmr-e to the early phases of the war. There was, of course, no imlep"dei't- Finland in those days, only the autonomous Duchv of Finland forming part of the Russ ; an Empire, and the Russian Empire ws s fighting shoulder to shoulder wbh Brtiin and Frame. In prosecution of the common purpose merchant’ sh ps of all the AlFcd States were requisitioned by their Governments, and in the course of that process a number of Finnish ships were commandeered by the Tsarist Government at St. Petersburg. They were used mainly for transport of necessary commodities between Great Britain and Russia, forming part of an improved service in which British ships took part as well. It is in respect of the use made of the Finnish ships then that the Government of Finland, acting obviously at the instigation of the shipowners concerned, has lodged a claim of £600,000 against Great Britain. As no satisfaction could he obtained from the British Government, Finland, availing itself of its plain right under Article XV of the League Covenant, has carried the question to Geneva and inscribed it on the agenda of the next Council meeting. To the Finnish contention the British Government, make, in effect two answers, one short and one long. The short answer is that, the'whole transaction was between the Finnish shipowners and the Russian Government, not the Brit-sn Government, a,nd that if any claim at all does lie agaijjst the British Government, for incidental use of the .ships, it must be a claim by the Russian Government, and in that ease, even, if admitted, it would smiply be set ptf against I"ie vast mass of debt, due by Russia to this country.

The long answer is merely an elaboration of this. It recalls the fact that the shipowners themselves recognised the responsibility of > the Russian Government in the matter by applying to it repeatedly for payment, and only turning to another quarter, namely London, when the Russian Revolution made it clear that nothing would be forthcoming from Moscow. If the claim is to be persisted in, it will clearly have to go from the •League Council to the Permanent Court at The 'Hague, for it raises just those questions of law and fact which that tribunal is most competent to handle.