17 MARCH 1944, Page 13

FINLAND AND RUSSIA

ta,-41r. Bryan Bevan's letter on " Finland and Russia " in your issue f March Path calls back to mind the last passage in Hitler's proclamation o the German people, broadcast at night when his troops were crossing nto the Soviet Union. It read:

"German people: In this very hour a movement of troops is taking ace which in its extent and magnitude is the greatest that the world as ever seen. United with their Finnish comrades, the warriors who on the victory of Narvik are manning the shores of the Arctic Ocean. rerman divisions commanded by the conqueror of Norway together ith the champions of Finnish liberty, commanded by their Marshal, re protecting Finnish territory. From East Russia to the Carpathians, resh formations mass along the German Eastern front. Along the lower egions of the Danube down to the shores of the Black Sea German and umanian soldiers are united under the Rumanian Premier, General tonescu. The task of this front is no longer the protection of the dividual country, but the safety of Europe and the salvation of all of s. I have, therefore, decided today to entrust the fate of the German eich and of our nation to the hands of our soldiers. May our Lord God d us in this greatest of all struggles."—Adolf Hitler.

The time is approaching when Rini and Mannerheim may dislike being minded of -their comradeship with Hitler, the conqueror of Norway, orthy and Antonescu ; the question is if the Finnish nation will ever