Wairarapa Times-Age MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1939. “IMPERIALIST AGGRESSION.”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 December 1939, Page 6

Wairarapa Times-Age MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1939. “IMPERIALIST AGGRESSION.”

RUT for the attendant circumstances of unrelieved tragedy, there would be something irresistibly comic in Hie furious outburst in Moscow against what is described as “the AngloFrench action at Geneva” —that is to say, the decision ol the League of Nations Assembly, confirmed by the Council, under which Russia, in effect, is expelled from the League and members are invited to give any assistance they can to binland in her efforts to stem invasion. The British and French representatives at Geneva, according to the Moscow Wireless, which, of course, is the authentic voice of the Soviet Government. surpassed anything hitherto heard in cynicism and hypocrisy. They shed crocodile tears about the alleged violation of Finnish rights, trying to conceal the fact that Mannerheim’s Finland is a basis for the operations of imperialist aggressors against the Soviet. If this is the best case the Soviet can make out for itself m support of its ruthless attempt to erush and destrot a little nation by the use of overwhelming force, it surely would have done better to hold its peace. Assuming, for example, that there is any foundation lor the declared belief of the Soviet that Finland was to be made a base for the operations of imperialist aggressors against the Soviet, who are the imperialist aggressors in question? Not, assuredly, Britain and France, to whom the Baltic, on account of geographical, naval and other factors, would be a closed sea even if they had any desire to invade it. Neither is it possible, outside of a madhouse, to credit disarmed Denmark, or peaceful Norway and Sweden with designs of imperialist aggression against Russia. There is only one head, in this instance, that the cap will fit and that is the head of Nazi Germany. If Russia has reason to fear aggression in the Baltic, through Finland or by any other route, Germany alone can be regarded as the potential aggressor. The Soviet grievance, to which vituperative expression has been given by the Moscow Wireless, thus assumes definition. M. Stalin and his colleagues are wildly indignant because the Allies, with some support from other members of the League of Nations, intend if they ran to prevent the destruction of Finland. The Soviet dictators consider that the destruction of the life and independence ol the Finnish nation is a small thing to set against the necessity, perceived by Russia, of setting up further barriers against future German aggression. Meantime the Soviet is supporting Germany and giving her some assistance in the prosecution of as unscrupulous a war of imperialist aggression as the world has over known. And it is these people who are at once assisting Germany’s present aggression and attempting to destroy Finland as one means of safeguarding themselves against future German aggression who have the effrontery to accuse the Allies of cynicism and hypocrisy. While the merits of the question at issue between Russia and Finland are crystal clear, so that every honest man and woman in the world most condemn the til tack now being made on a liberty-loving and unoffending nation, the possibility ol' halting the Russian aggression in Finland unfortunately remains at best very much open to question. It is now announced definitely that Britain is to supply aircraft and other war nuderials to Finland, but that help rendered in this way by Britain and other nations is likely to make it possible to stem the onset of the mighty forces Russia has al disposal 'has yet to begin to appear. Taking account only of material and military factors, the outlook for Finland, in spite of some optimistic assertions in Helsinki and elsewhere, is hardly more hopeful than it was. Possibly, however, the Soviet may not be as completely indifferent as it professes to be to the marshalling of world opinion against it. Account has to be taken hero not only of the horror and indignation the invasion of Finland has awakened, t hroughont a great pari of Europe—a development of which some signs are apparent in Italy as well as in other places—but of the rising tide of opinion antagonistic to Russia that is visible in the United Slates.

To anticipate any early development of American policy tlial would give more than limited help to Finland no douht would lie foolish. There is, indeed, little prospect of Finland getting such assistance from any quarter as woidd give her good prospects of repelling the Russian invasion. The fact remains, however, that Russia may reasonably fear such a mobilisation of world opinion against her as is now I hreatened. Some support is thus given to the admittedly slender hope that even now Russia may be induced Io pause in her attack on Finland. Tlial hope, for what il is worth, should be lested by the appeal made to .Moscow by the Finnish Foreign Minister (Al. Tanner) for a suspension of hostilities and resumption of neootiatioixs.