ACCEPTED BY FINLAND

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 December 1939, Page 7

ACCEPTED BY FINLAND

No Reply Yet From Soviet ANTICIPATION THAT IT MAY BE UNFAVOURABLE BRITAIN TO SUPPORT MAJORITY ACTION No reply has yet been received from Russia to the League of Nation’s appeal for the suspension of hostilities, Daventry reports, but Finland, it is reported, has accepted League mediation. Soviet officials in Moscow refuse to discuss the appeal. The committee appointed by the League to consider the dispute worked for Ig hours yesterday morning and adjourned until the afternoon. With their minds focused on concretely and materially helping Finland as equally important as condemning Russia, the members of the League committee to which Finland s appeal was handed by the Assembly proceeded with their work on the assumption that Russia would disregard or reject the mediation appeal, a Press Association cablegram from London slates.- ' The British delegate, Mr R. A. Butler (Foreign Undersecretary), who was responsible for the inclusion of the 24hours time limit in the League mediation offer, declared, “We have no illusions regarding the outcome.’’ Mr Butler also expressed the opinion that sentiment is crystallising against an expulsion of Russia, adding that Britain would support whatever action the majority might decide upon.

LATIN=AMERICAN SPLIT

The Latin-American nations are split: Columbia is urging mediation and Argentina is urging the expulsion of Russia. At the same time these countries, including Columbia, are agreed that if mediation fails they will support the strongest measures against Russia. Expulsion, however, would directly affect a number of States, including Turkey, Iran and China, since the Russian representatives, who boycotted the. Assembly and Council, indicated that they would regard abstention from voting as tantamount to support for the League's condemnation or expulsion. They also plainly hinted at reprisals, which possibly would be directed against India. Extraordinary police precautions were taken inside and outside the League buildings. The public , were not admitted. Forty nations were represented and 13 were absent.

RUSSIA’S TWO VOICES

Addressing the I,eague Assembly, the Finnish delegate. Dr Holsti. quoted extensively from the speech of M. Litvinov, when, as Russian delegate, he spoke before the Assembly two years ago and condemned aggression and tried to get the League to help Ihe Spanish republicans. Among the statements made by M. Litvinov (states a Daventry report) was one in 1935 dealing with the war in Spain:— “It is time the defenders of peace called a spade a spade, and an aggressor an aggressor, no master in what disguise.” •‘Those,” said Dr Holsti, "are the Soviet’s own words, yet look what she is doing today.” The disagreement by some States on the question of expelling Russia is not expected to prevent a strong condemnation of Russia, and it is believed in some quarters that the resolution will contain a clause leaving it opc-Yi to the League members to take whatever action they think fit to help Finland. This is the procedure which was followed when China appealed against Japan. The principal delegates at Geneva state that there will be no undue delay in dealing with the matters before the League at the present sessions of the Council and the Assembly (states an Official Wireless message), and it is generally anticipated that the deliberations will be completed bv Thursday.