LEAGUE TO MEET

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 December 1939, Page 5

LEAGUE TO MEET

COUNCIL AND ASSEMBLY SUMMONED I FINNS HOPING FOR MORAL SUPPORT. INCLUDING THAT OF UNITED STATES. LONDON, December 3. While the Finnish Foreign Minister, M Tanner, at Helsinki made the statement to the nation: “We are fighting for the defence of all Western culture and think we should have not only the sympathy but the effective help of the rest of the world,” M Avenol, Secre-tary-General of the League of Nations at Geneva. summoned the League Council for noon on December 9 and asked Mr De Valera to summon the Assembly, of which he is President, on December 11. Finland’s appeal to the League, which is signed by M Rudolf Holsti, delegate and former Foreign Minister, outlines relations between Finland and Russia since 1920. and concludes: "We request you to ask the Council and the Assembly to take the necessary measures to terminate this aggression.” A delicate situation will be avoided since M Maisky’s presidency of the council terminates automatically when the Council meets. A Belgian will succeed him. Reports from Finnish sources in Geneva state that the Finnish Government hopes to obtain moral support from the League members against Russia and hopes for support in the United States. Article 11 of the Covenant of the League of Nations is that which declares any war to be a matter of immediate concern to the League and that it may take such action as shall be deemed wise to safeguard the peace of nations, and that the SecretaryGeneral shall summon the Council. Article 15 is that which says members of the League shall submit a dispute to the Council, if they have not already determined to seek arbitration. Any party to the dispute may submit the matter by giving notice of the dispute to the SecretaryGeneral.