DEEP REGRET

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 December 1939, Page 5

DEEP REGRET

EXPRESSED BY BRITISH PRIME MINISTER ATTACK ON SMALL NATION. MUST MEAN SUFFERING BY INNOCENT PEOPLE. (British Official Wireless.) i Feceived This Day, 9.48 a.m.) RUGBY. November 30. In the House of Commons, in a statement on the Soviet attack on Finland, the Prime Minister (Mr Neville Chamberlain) declared, amid cheers, that his Majesty’s Government “deeply regret this fresh attack upon a small and independent nation which must result in fresh suffering and loss of life to innocent people.” To Mr C. R. Attlee, who asked whether the Government had received from the . Soviet Government any statement regarding what appears to be an indefensible act of unprovoked aggression. Mr Chamberlain replied: “No, sir. None at all." He prefaced his declaration with an historical resume of the exchange of views which had been taking place for some time between the Soviet and the Finnish governments "on certain questions, mainly of a strategic character, raised by Russia.” some apprehension hav-

ing 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, though governed by a determination to do nothing which would impair their country’s sovereign status. It is known that the Finnish Note, which was delivered in Moscow immediately before the announcement of a rupture of diplomatic relations, was of a most conciliatory character, the Finnish Government having proposed to submit the dispute to arbitration and offered meanwhile a withdrawal of troops. Mr Chamberlain spoke also of the warm welcome by Britain to the United States mediation oiler. He referred to the invasion and the reports of the bombing of Helsinki, Wiborg and other centres, with loss of life.