Finland Seeking Peace
The approach of Germany's defeat has evidently become, at last, as obvious to Finland as it is to Turkey. Ryti's resignation of the Presidency and the acceptance of the office by Marshal Mannerheim is a clear indication that the Germanophile Government can no longer stand up against the strong opposition in Parliament and public opinion outside which are clamouring that the hopeless war should be brought to an end. Peace with Russia was impossible so long as Ryti remained President. It was he who was responsible for the recent negotiations with Ribbentrop, and gave a promise that he would not allow any Government appointed by him to sue for peace. It is a further ground of complaint to the peace party that the pledge which was given to Germany on about June 25th was not even revealed to the Finnish Parliamentary Committee of Foreign Affairs until July 19th. Parliament has the strongest pos- sible grounds for objecting that an undertaking of such gravity should have been given without being consulted or informed. Nor are Ryti and his Prime Minister, Linkomies, even able to show that they received from Germany any quid pro quo for their suicidal concessions, since the promised military help fell short by at least two-thirds of what had been offered. Fortunately for those who still hope to infuse commonsense into Finland's foreign policy, Russia seems disposed to treat her with more indulgence than might have been expected. It is reported that she has intimated that her territorial claims have not changed—though possibly her reparations demands might be higher.
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