The Demands on Finland
The result of the negotiations between Finland and M. Stalin are not known as we go to press, but they will evidently not run as smooth a course as the discussions with, or the dictation to, the Baltic States inevitably did. Finland is not a Baltic State. Her affinities are much more with Scandinavia, and she is a regular member of the group of Oslo Powers. Her long common frontier with Sweden gives that country an acute interest in the prospect of the penetration of Finland by Bolshevism, and the reported Russian demand for rights on the Aaland Islands has caused intelligible alarm at Stockholm, whose security would be immediately imperilled by the occupation by a hostile Power of a base not twenty minutes by air from the Swedish coast. It is stated that Sweden has let it be known that in the event of a Russo-Finnish conflict she " could not remain indifferent," and if she were drawn in Norway pretty cer- tainly would be too. It is hard to think that Finland, with a population of less than 4,000,000, could resist a serious Russian attack. On the other hand, Russia, like Germany, prefers bloodless victories, and she may decide in the end that her grip on the three Baltic States is sufficient to consti- tute the " iron belt of defence round the Baltic " which she considers needful for her security.
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