760d.61/242: Telegram

The Minister in Finland (Schoenfeld) to the Secretary of State

235. My telegram No. 227, October 9. Minister of Foreign Affairs today expressed the great satisfaction of his Government at the action [Page 967] of our Government in instructing our Ambassador at Moscow to make clear to the Soviet Government our attitude towards present situation between the Soviet Union and Finland. The Minister said that the action of the President upon the communication addressed to him by the President of Finland and delivered through the Finnish Minister as well as similar communication on behalf of the King of Sweden was greatly appreciated. Similar action had been taken by the Governments of the three Scandinavian countries through their diplomatic representatives in Moscow.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs said the Finnish Government was deeply affected also by the friendly attitude towards Finland reflected in the press of the United States, Great Britain, France and Scandinavia.

Schoenfeld
  1. The following note by the Chief of the Division of European Affairs was penned upon this telegram: “This telegram was sent Wed[nesday] morning (Washington time) some seven hours before our 194 to Moscow [infra] was despatched. The inference is inevitable that the Finnish Minister here made a report that was none too accurate following his talk with the P[residen]t Tuesday night. P[ierrepont] M[offat].”