ALLIED ACTION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 March 1940, Page 6

ALLIED ACTION

DIRECT OFFER OF MILITARY SUPPORT

CONTINGENT ON APPEAL FROM FINLAND.

POSITION OF SWEDEN & NORWAY.

(Received This Day, 11.50 a.m.) PARIS, March 12.

• M. Daladier, in the Chamber of Deputies, said that from February 26, a body of French troops was ready to help Finland and ships were waiting to take them. Britain had taken similar measures. The strength of this expeditionary force was 50,C00 men.

France, responding to an urgent Finnish request a few days ago, sent a number of ultra-modern bombers, which had now arrived on the Finnish front. He had informed the Finnish Minister that France was determined to give Finland the fullest aid. Britain and France had hot yet received a direct appeal from Finland. He was waiting for this appeal. M. Daladier explained that an appeal was necessary, because if Sweden and Norway opposed the passage of Allied troops this attitude would prevent the Allies assisting Finland unless they received a direct appeal from Finland. He said he told the Finnish Minister on March 7 that the Allies were ready to send immediate help, but that if Finland did not appeal for it, the Allies could not assume responsibility for the status of Finland after the war. The Finnish Minister replied that ?. definite answer was being sent on March 12, after a meeting of the Finnish Parliament The Finnish Parliament was meeting at that moment to discuss the peace proposals which Russia desired to impose. Therefore it would be wiser to adjourn the debate on M. Blum’s motion regarding the Government’s policy in relation to Finland. M. Daladier emphasised that France had headed the list of nations sending war material to Finland. Since early in December she had sent 145 planes, 496 guns, live thousand machine-guns. 400,000 rifles, 200.000 hand-grenades and twenty million rounds of ammunition. He added that Britain was bearing the greater part of the assistance in men and ships and had multiplied her efforts so that troops could be sent to Finland. Britain was also responsible for the naval protection of these convoys. M. Daladier added that the Allies must have the complete support of a majority of the people of Sweden and Norway in order to overcome opposition to the passage of Allied troops. It was also necessary to have the support of railwaymen accustomed in operating transport eastwards. He was therefore appealing for the co-operation of Swedish and Norwegian workers. M. Daladier added that he understood and shared the nation’s emotions resulting from recent events. The Deputies agreed to postpone- the debate to March 19. SOVIET DEFENDED BY AUSTRALIAN RAILWAY OFFICIALS. INSECURITY GF LENINGRAD. (Received This Day. 12.45 p.m.) SYDNEY. This Day. Russia's attack on Finland was defended, and Soviet policy was praised by officials of the Australian Railways Union at a gathering. The Federal president of the union, Mr T. Moroney. said the proximity of the Finnish border to the Soviet Union’s largest centre of industrial activity constituted a constant threat to the security of the Soviet Union, particularly in light of Ihe anti-Soviet political outlook of Finland's rulers and their readiness to collaborate with other Powers in intrigues against the Soviet. <