760d.61/398: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 3—1:10 p.m.]
856. For the President, Secretary and Under Secretary. Today’s Pravda which did not appear until 2:30 p.m., contains an editorial on the front page entitled “Concerning the Question of the Soviet-Finnish Negotiations” the first sub-heading of which reads “The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland Calls for a War with the Soviet Union”.
After reviewing the Soviet proposals and negotiations as presented in Molotov’s speech the editorial charges that certain Finnish leaders, the Finnish press and the foreign press have distorted the essence of the Soviet proposals with provocative aims and accuses the Finnish Government of having adopted extraordinary measures which can only be regarded as preparation for war. The editorial then asserts that the speech of the Finnish Foreign Minister on the day following Molotov’s speech can only be regarded as an appeal to war against the Soviet Union and quotes the alleged remarks of Erkko to the effect that the Soviet demand for the removal of the frontier from Leningrad was Russian imperialism which Finland could not accept and would, therefore, defend its territory.
In conclusion the editorial charges that the Finnish Foreign Minister made a direct threat against the Soviet Union and that it was “line for line like the former Minister of Poland Beck who as is well known provoked a war with Germany”. The editorial then asserts that the forces on whose support Mr. Erkko is counting in his struggle against the Soviet Union are known “to us” and are the same which brought on the war and are continuing their unsuccessful efforts to drag the Soviet Union into the war against Germany and its Baltic neighbors.
Part 2 of the editorial under the sub-title “The False Political Game of Certain Swedish Political Figures” attacks the Swedish press and the Swedish Foreign Minister for asserting that the Soviet proposals threaten the Scandinavian countries “in obedience to orders from their masters in the west”. This section of the editorial concludes: “Our answer is simple and clear. We will send to the devil any game of the political card players and will continue on our road in spite of everything. We will assure the security of the Soviet Union irrespective of anything, smashing each and every obstacle in the path of that aim”.
The above editorial appears to have been provoked by a speech of the Finnish Foreign Minister, text of which is not available to me. The speech may well have been distorted by Pravda, especially that portion in regard to Russian imperialism alleged to be a quotation. [Page 992] While full of abuse and threats against Finland, the editorial does not indicate that the Soviet Government considers the negotiations as having broken down. Its chief purpose appears to be an attempt to terrorize the Finnish Government and the Finnish delegation at present waiting in Moscow for an appointment. I am unable to state as yet what effect this editorial, the whole tone of which is violent and abusive, will have on the continuation of the negotiations.