[Department of State Bulletin, November 29, 1941.]

In response to inquiries as to developments in the Finnish situation, the Secretary of State stated on November 28 that the Finnish note had been given careful consideration but that it had thrown no light upon the question uppermost in the mind of this Government, that is, how far and to what extent the Finnish military policy is one of combined operations of the Germans and Finns vitally to injure Great Britain and her associates and to threaten the northern supply lines over which Russia is now receiving supplies and assistance from Great Britain and the United States to aid Russia in resisting the Hitler forces of invasion and conquest, and to what extent that Finnish policy is a menace to all America's aims for self-defence. The recent journey of the Finnish Foreign Minister to Berlin to join with Hitler's puppet governments over Europe in signing the "Anti-Comintern Pact," used by Hitler solely as an instrument to wage a war of conquest and domination against free peoples, is highly significant and cannot be camouflaged or explained away by propaganda attacks on nations engaged in defending themselves.

The Secretary went on to say that the Department was giving careful attention to all the reports and information which might furnish a definite answer to this question. The concern of this Government, which has been emphasized by the studies made by the War Department and the statement of the Secretary of War on November 25, as to Finnish policy in this regard, has been made abundantly clear to the Finnish Government, the Secretary said.

The Secretary concluded by saying that every act of the Finnish Government since the delivery of its note has confirmed our apprehensions that it is fully cooperating with the Hitler forces.