War on the Axis Allies
The Russian request that Great Britain should declare war on Rumania, Hungary and Finland is one that cannot be ignored. All of these countries, bribed "byGerman offers of increased territory and fearful of the results if they do not accept, are now marching side by side with the Nazis and actively assisting them in operations against Russia. They have enabled the Germans to hurl more of their best trained divisions against the strongest centres of resistance. Already we have cut off all relations with these countries, treating Finnish ships as enemy ships and stopping goods directed to any of their territories. But it is argued, and with good reason, that an actual declaration of war would bring home to their peoples the full implication of the measures to which their rulers have committed them. About Hungary and Rumania there can be no shadow of doubt about our proper course. Finland is in a somewhat different category since she had grievances against Russia with which in the past we expressed full sympathy. If she had sto ed shoat re- occupying the territory which Russia had take from her there would have been no sufficient casus belli. But last September she was given fair warning ; if she pursued the war fwther int6 Russian territory, then that would proclaim her an enemy. She has not stopped. She has taken the principal pan in the attack on Leningrad from the north. It has been suggested that an open declaration might have a bad effect on a section of the American public which has warmly sympathised with her. On this point questions were put last Monday to Mr. Cordell Hull, who stated that Finland had made no response to the American suggestion that she should make peace with Russia on the basis of territorial compensation. He went on to inform Finland that she must cease operations against Russia if she wante5 to keep American friend- ship. If this final warning is neglected then Great Britain's course is clear. We ought clearly to accede to the Russian request and declare war on a country which is affording valuable military aid to the common enemy.
