DEMAND FOR EXPULSION

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20987, 14 December 1939, Page 9

DEMAND FOR EXPULSION

SOVIET AND LEAGUE OF NATIONS ARGENTINE’S INDICTMENT OF AGGRESSORS “WE ARE CONFRONTED BY STATE OF WAR” (United Press Assn.—F.lec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Dec. 14, 11 a.m.) GENEVA, Dec. 13 Senor Freyre told the League of Nations that unless Russia is ejected Argentine will resign from the League. Demanding the application of Paragraph 4 of Article 16 of the Covenant, he declared: “ The question is whether we will continue to allow the perpetrator of this act of aggression to sit among us. My Government considers this impossible. This is not the first member Stale to be unjustifiably attacked, but the case is attended by such circumstances as compel my Government to pass the most severe judgment. The aggressor denied that she is at war, disdaining even an outward form of legality, therefore placing herself outside the Covenant. We need no longer be restrained by the desire to act cautiously, and weigh our responsibilities with the object of preserving peace. We are confronted by a state of war” RUGBY, Dec. 13 Press reports from Geneva state that the committee of thirteen appointed by the Assembly of the League of Nations to discuss the Finnish appeal has adopted a report and a resolution recommending the expulsion ol Russia from the League and assistance for f inland. The Committee's decision will have to be placed before the Assembly.

Senor Freyre added: “The League is faced with a decision concerning its life or death. The League has lost coercive force, but is still capable of a gesture against resorters to force, which it cannot refuse to make unless it is prepared to resign its functions in a spirit of suicidal defeat. Russia’s invasion constitutes an insult to every member of the League. Because of the League’s recent weakness there has grown up a tacit agreement to refrain from entrusting ir, with important political activity. No. even Poland’s agony ruffled the League, although it was the origin of the X^nflagration. “If we wish to spare the world from the abyss opening before it, if we desire the rebirth of interantional law, it behoves us to discard material considerations and rally the moral forces which have fallen intd oblivion.” “By refusing to attend the League’s deliberations the Soviet failed in one of the most essential responsibilities under the League for the guarantee of the peace and security of nations. The Soviet acted as though the Council of the Assembly did not exist as far as the Soviet was concerned. By attempting to justify its refusal by alleging that the League had established relations with a fictitious Government the Soviet was not only guilty of violating one of its responsibilities under the Covenant but placed itself outside the covenant. The Argentine’s proposal was referred to the Russian-Finnish Committee without debate. Finland, South Africa and Bolivia have been elected to the council. QUESTION OF PRESTIGE

COMMITTEE’S DECISION EXPULSION OF RUSSIA HELP FOR FINLAND SUB-COMMITTEE TO REPORT (Unite! Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyrignt (Received Dec. 14, 11.40 a.m.) GENEVA, Dec. 13 The special committee which passed a resolution recommending Russia’s expulsion, also assistance for Finland, has appointed a sub-com-mittee, consisting of Bolivia, France, Portugal, England and Sweden, to complete a draft report for the Assembly. This sub-committee unanimously adopted a draft resolution implying but not specifically demanding Russia’s expulsion.

HARD FIGHTING BIG SOVIET OFFENSIVE 1,500,000 MEN ON FRONTIER 1000 PLANES IN READINESS (United Prens Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Dec. 13 There was hard fighting all day yesterday on the Russo-Finnish fronts. The Finns are holding the reinforced Russian armies: they have stopped the advance on the Karelian Isthmus and halted a powerful offensive on the eastern front. A mighty Russian offensive, eclipsing all the fighting so far, continues to be reported. Huge reserves are believed to be stationed at several points from Leningrad northward, ready to launch simultaneous thrusts. Russia is reported to have 1,500,000 men and 1000 aeroplanes along the frontier, and has been moving up men and materials in an endless stream for the past week. The Finns are preparing a coun-ter-stroke and are pouring in reinforcements. On the Petsamo front, Finnish airmen, operating in bitter weather, bombed the strategic railway from Murmansk and tore up the track for 12 miles, with the object of partly diverting the Russian attack. The terrible cold and frosts are , causing hundreds of casualties among | the Russians, and prisoners are tell—i ing ghastly tales of sentries frozen I to death at their posts.

UJSSIA’S SENSITIVE FEELINGS CONSIDERATION BY ASSEMBLY (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. copyrig-nu LONDON, Dec. 13 M. Molotoff’s reply, broadcast from Moscow at 1.30 a.m., was the first Russian announcement of the League’s offer of mediation. The Assembly of the League will meet to-day to decide what action will be taken. The Moscow correspondent of the New York Times, Mr G. E. R. Gedye, says: “ Opinion in diplomatic circles in Moscow is evenly divided on the question whether the Soviet rulers will satisfy their ever-sensitive feelings over questions of prestige by resigning from the League and thereby further compromising liberty of action in respect of Germany, as Germany clearly hopes, or whether they will pocket their prestige for the sake of the practical advantages Inherent in remaining in the League. “ It is thought resignation would bring nearer the formation of an antiSoviet world bloc, which is a nightmare that is always hunting the Soviet. Thus some feel that Russia will submit to a rebuke, and even see practical opposition to her Finnish adventure, in order to retain her membership.”

SIDE OF AGGRESSOR GERMANY’S OPEN STAND NO SUPPLIES FOR FINLAND (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Dec. 13 After Britain has granted licenses for the export of war material to Finland, Germany has openly come out on the side of the aggressor. Official sources confirm that Germany is making full use of her strategic position to prevent supplies reaching Finland from other countries. Also Germany is holding up orders placed with neutral countries before the war. Reports of the augmentation of the Finnish Air Force by the arrival of a considerable number of Italian aeroplanes should be discounted, says a British official wireless message. Authoritative British circles believe very few Italian aircraft have reached Finland. It is understood that only a small part of the order given by the Finnish Government before the Russian invasion has been executed. The remainder of the order has been held up in Italy because of difficulties regarding transit raised by Germany.

“GOOD RIDDANCE” ITALY LEAVES LEAGUE 'United Prai. Asen.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) ROME, Dec. 12 The Italian press, on the expiration of Italy’s two years’ notice, bid “ goodbye and good riddance ” to the League of Nations. The Lavora Fascista says:— “XVe are out of it forever.” LOAN OF £40,000,000 DEFENCE OF HOLLAND (Received Dec. 14, 1 p.m.) THE HAGUE, Dec. 13 Holland is floating a 4 per cent, nefence loan of £40,000,000 at par. maturing in 1979. Public bodies have already subscribed about £8,000,000.