HELP FOR FINLAND

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 December 1939, Page 7

HELP FOR FINLAND

ASSURANCES BY BRITISH PREMIER PLANES & OTHER MATERIAL PROMISED. CONCENTRATION ON DEFEAT OF NAZI GERMANY. . (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, December 14. The Prime Minister, speaking in the House of Commons, paid a tribute to the courage and determination of the Finnish defence. By an act of aggression the Soviet Government had outraged the conscience of the whole world. The German Government had publicly ranged itself on the side of the aggressor, whom it had even attempted to assist by a violent campaign against Scandinavian countries for their moral support of the Finnish cause. At the outset, mid before the Geneva appeal, the British Government decided to permit the release and immediate delivery to Finland by manufacturers of a number of lighter aircraft urgently needed. The Government intended similarly to release other material to assist the Finnish Government. Generous help for Finland had been forthcoming from several other countries. including the United States. Several European countries would have supplied more material but for the difficulties made by Germany regarding transit. The Premier, after reviewing the League proceedings, said the oppor-

(unity had been seized by the Nazis, and many acting unconsciously in their service to deflect attention from the primary objective of the Allied war effort— the defeat of Nazi Germany. "We must never lose sight of that objective.” he said. “We must never forget that it was German aggression that paved the way for the Soviet attack on Poland and Finland and that Germany, alone among the nation., is even now abetting by word and deed Russian aggression. We must give what help we can spare to the latest victim. but meanwhile- it is only by concentrating on the task of resistance to German aggression, and thus attacking the evil at its root, that we can hope to save the nations of Europe ■ from the fate which would otherwise overtake them."

Mr Chamberlain said that the Finnish army had proved itself the far better fighting force in everything except numbers, states a Press Association message. Britain believed that full use should bo made of the League machinery for a peaceful settlement of the dispute, but if that were impossible, then the machinery should be employed to lend practical assistance to Finland.