760D.61/1227: Telegram
The Minister in Finland (Schoenfeld) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9:10 p.m.]
132. At 4:30 this afternoon I received through the Legation at Stockholm the following telegram from Ambassador Steinhardt dated March 7, 10 a.m.
“I think my friends are now ready to do business at a very high price. Would your associates be interested even though the price seems high to me and if so can you give me an idea of how high they would be willing to go?”
At 5 p.m. this afternoon, I brought foregoing message to the attention of the Minister of Foreign Affairs. He informed me the [Page 300] Russians were demanding not only Hango but also the cities of Viborg and Sortavala, cession of which last two would make Finland indefensible. He then authorized me to inform you that Finnish Government would be prepared to consider cession of territory on Karelian Isthmus along the line Suvanto to Koivisto77 as well as the port of Hango but could not accept Russian demand for cession of territory north of Lake Ladoga. In strict confidence he said however Finnish Government might be prepared to make greater concessions without defining what these might be.
Minister for Foreign Affairs then added that he “would be thankful if the Government of the United States could find means to urge the Soviet Government not to make excessive demands so that a quick peace could be reached”.
Tanner said the only alternative to peace at this time would be an appeal by Finland to the Allied Governments for their intervention which appeal he was sure would be heeded by them but such intervention would immediately involve this country and possibly the other northern states in the war of the great powers. Finland had asked Scandinavian Governments first whether they would send substantial forces of their own to help Finland and secondly whether they would permit passage of Allied Forces through their territories. To both inquiries the answer of the Scandinavians had been negative. In reply to my inquiry Tanner said that the Allies were confident they could make their intervention effective notwithstanding and he added in reply to further inquiry that the Russians knew this to be the fact, feeling that [Finland] was willing, however, to sacrifice itself for the sake of peace in this corner of the world.
I am sending no direct reply to Ambassador Steinhardt’s telegram and would ask the Department to acknowledge its receipt to him on my behalf.
- Björkö.↩