NO APPEAL FOR MEN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 March 1940, Page 7

NO APPEAL FOR MEN

MADE TO THE ALLIES BY FINLAND STATEMENT IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. PRIME MINISTER'S REPLY I TO MR HORE-BELISHA. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Dav. 10.30 a.m.) RUGBY. March 13. In a crowded and expectant House, the Prime Minister, Mr Chamberlain, made a statement on the Finnish peace settlement. He gave a brief recital of the facts and ended with a tribute to the Finnish people, which drew full-throated cheers from all parts of the House. Mr Chamberlain said: "The British minister at Helsinki was informed by M. Tanner that Soviet-Finnish peace terms had been signed in Moscow last night and that an armistice had been signed at 11 a.m. today—Finnish time — between the two armies. Throughout the Soviet-Finnish struggle. Britain, in concert with France, furnished the Finns with large quantities of war material and supplies of all sorts, particulars of which have been made known so far as it is in the public interest to permit. Britain has in fact made plain her readiness to give all possible help to the Finns in their gallant struggle against aggression, and as I informed the House on Monday, we had made preparations to throw the full weight of all our available resources into the scales on hearing that this would be in accordance with the desires of Finland. It has always 'been understood that it was for Finland to decide upon the course of action which Finland considered best suited to her interests, in light of all available knowledge. In their decision, the Finns may be assured that the people of this country are united in sympathy with the situation in which the Finns find themselves and in admiration for the courage with which they maintained for so long a struggle against overwhelming odds. This epic story will ever be recounted in the chronicles of their own country and will remain alive in the memory of all peoples.” The Opposition Leader (Mr C. R. Attlee) rose immediately and said: "We are all agreed in our admiration for the Finns in their struggle, and while we all of us are relieved that the slaughter has been stopped, we deeply regret the success of aggression. May I ask the Prime Minister that, just as this country has been willing to assist the Finns in defending themselves against aggression, so we shall render them all the assistance we can in order to repair the damage of this unprovoked attack on them.” Mr Hore-Belisha intervened to ask if it were not a fact that repeated appeals had been made by Finland for assistance, not only in material but in men, and was it not a pity, in relation.to the magnitude of these events and their far-reaching character, to plead as an excuse for inaction a pure technicality. Mr Chamberlain replied: “It is not correct that repeated requests for men have been made by the Finnish Government. The Finnish Government made repeated requests for material and every one of those requests has been answered. The Finns had been informed as long ago as February 25,| that if they were to make an appeal to ! us we had been prepared and were making arrangements to send out men as well as materials In the circumstances in which they found themselves, they decided not to make such an appeal.”