26 SEPTEMBER 1941, Page 1

inland is . W.arned - Feeling in this- country in regard to

Finland is not what it towards Hungary; Ruinanii and other -countries which have own in their: lot- with -.the- NaziS.: We do not forget that e sympathised with Finland. and were even- anxious to help r when she stood up: against the RUssian attack—an attack hich, as' The Spectator_ pointedout at the .time;. was actuated Y a desire to secure; bases- Ini defence against Germany,, but uld not even on that ground be justified in this country. erefore, we can appreciate the bitterness of feeling which s led her to join with Germany to win back what she has lost. But if it should be her intention now to pursue the war in conjunction with the Germans relentlessly, attacking beyond her old frontiers, and helping Hitler in his attempt to crush Russian resistance, then her action is against all the Allies, including ourselves, and it would be inevitable that we should treat her as an enemy. Mr. Eden has sent through the Norwegian Minister to Finland a timely warning to that effect. If, he has pointed out, her forces pursue the attack beyond the old Finnish frontiers, that means war. with Britain, and after the war she can expect no special consideration from Britain. There is reason to believe that the Finns would have liked a truce after the old frontiers had been reached, but Field-Marshal Mannerheim has insisted that the war must go on. He has doubtless realised that those who accept the Ger- mans as partners cannot easily shake them off as task-masters. But long-sighted statesmanship, even if it does not persuade him to make peace, may at least show him the wisdom of halt- ing his forces at the frontier. He will scarcely overlook the fact that we are capable of applying naval pressure in the north.