740.00112 European War 1939/269: Telegram
The Minister in Finland (Schoenfeld) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 10—1:10 a.m.]
228. My telegram No. 220, October 7.49 Yesterday Minister for Foreign Affairs told me, in response to inquiry, that northern neutral [Page 761] governments were exchanging views regarding action to be taken at Berlin in the matter of German interference with northern shipping and foreign trade. He said German spokesmen had also proposed to Finland taking all its exports of food, metals and many wood products including cellulose against compensation in German manufactures under expanded clearing agreement. The point was made on behalf of Finnish Government that Germany was competitor of Finland for cellulose exports among other wood products and consequently could not take increased quantity of such commodities but no satisfactory answer to this argument had been forthcoming.
Minister for Foreign Affairs interpreted present German policy regarding shipping and trade of northern neutral countries as expression of broad intention to dominate them to the exclusion of trade relations with other countries especially with British Isles hitherto their chief market.
Repeated to Berlin and London.
- Not printed.↩