Wairarapa Times-Age SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1939. MURDEROUS AGGRESSION.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 December 1939, Page 4

Wairarapa Times-Age SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1939. MURDEROUS AGGRESSION.

Tp VENTS in Finland have taken the only course that can be expected when a small and weak nation is attacked bt a large and strong nation, possessed of virtually unlimited military resources. After fighting a gallant defensive action in face of a triple onslaught from sea, land and air, the 1' mns are reported to have asked for an armistice. It is unfortunately obvious that, unless an early halt is called, the Soviet invasion can resolve itself into nothing else than a massacre. Already there has been, murderous slaughter in the air bombing ol Helsinki and other places as well as on the fighting fronts, and the Soviet Government apparently intends to continue the process of slaughter until it has reduced the Finnish nation to submission. Tn these circumstances the only items of news which can be welcomed are those which state that, the. Finns are seeking an immediate armistice, and that the Russian troops have been halted. On the facts in sight there is nothing else for Finland to do than submit and a report that the Government has resigned and that the Finance Minister, M. Tanner, is forming a new Government presumably means that the futility and hopelessness of continuing the struggle is acknowledged. Few small nations have ever been belter entitled than Finland to effective help in defending their independence. Since, however, there is no visible prospect of effective he p being given, continued resistance by Finland would mereh invite an extension of horrors like those that were witnessed recently, and are still being continued in some measure, in Poland*. If at a larger and longer view there is any hope tor Finland it. is in what M. Daladier has called the evolution ol international politics—in this case the rebuilding of the League of Nations or the establishment of an alternative association of nations able and willing to uphold international law. The policy of the Soviet in attacking Finland can be regarded as nothing else than one of unscrupulous and entirely indefensible aggression. In all that they have had-to about the alleged hostility and irreconcilable attitude of the Finnish Government, M. Molotov and others are simply endeavouring to deceive the ignorant, mostly, no doubt, within the borders of the Soviet Union. A country like Finland, with a population of under four millions, does not go out ol its way to antagonise a mighty nation like Russia. It is no doubt largely for strategic reasons and with a view to attaining the greatest possible military strength and security that the Soviet Government is determined Io include Finland within, its sphere of control. Any such suggestion as M. Molotov has made, or implied, that Russia feared aggression by Finland is of course preposterous. 11' any genuine fear underlies the Soviet strategic schemes in the Northern Baltic it is the fear that Germany might by violence or otherwise gain command of bases in Finland Iron) which to launch an attack on Russia. The honest, method of establishing safeguards against, dangers of this kind would have been to seek the broadest, international co-operation in guaranteeing the untroubled independence of Finland and other Baltic States. Russia instead has chosen the way of aggression. She attained her purpose easily in the case ol Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and may have succeeded also in establishing a firm grip on Eastern Poland, bill she has encountered si out. ihough hopeless resistance on the part of the Finns. These developments of Soviet policy are ol eoueerii nol only Io Finland, now undergoing martyrdom, and Io the oilier small Slates which have been subjugated, lint, to all free nations. That, Russia should seek by infamous and criminal me! hods to make herself secure in the Baltic is bad enough, bill there is no assurance whatever that she will be content to call a hall on achieving the subjugation' of Finland. It Ims yet to appeal' whether the Scandinavian nations are destined to be lieu next selected victims in an extending career of aggression, not only in the Baltic, but in the Balkans and elsewhere. At an immediate view’, in any case, Finland’s position is hopeless and, tragic as submission may be Io her people, il is better that they should submit than that they should be destroyed by the Soviet military machine. Rudely as the American medial ion offer has been rejected by the Soviet, the exercise of American influence, in the event of an early armistice, may secure some softening of the terms imposed on Finland. More ample relief for Finland and for other Stales similarly situated probably must depend upon the achievement by the Allies of their declared aim of re-establishing order and justice in Europe.