File No. 860d.00/242
The British Chargé (Barclay) to the Secretary of State
Memorandum
His Majesty’s Chargé d’Affaires presents his compliments to the Secretary of State and has the honour to inform him that His Majesty’s Government have received information showing that the Germans have used the presence of Allied troops on the Murman coast to fill Finnish public opinion with alarm as to the aggressive intentions of the Allies against Finland.
His Majesty’s Government consider that there is no doubt that Finnish public opinion is clearly, if unjustifiably, excited, and have therefore instructed their representative at Stockholm to communicate the following declaration officially to the Finnish Chargé d’Affaires and to have it published in the Swedish and if possible in the Finnish papers:
His Majesty’s Government have received representations from the Finnish government indicating a belief that Allied forces had assisted or intended to assist one of the parties engaged in the civil war in Finland and showing an apprehension that His Majesty’s Government might help certain Russians to invade Finland and foment civil war in that country. There would seem also to exist in Finland a fear that Great Britain desires to set up a separate republic in north Russia under British tutelage. His Majesty’s Government desire formally to contradict the allegation of assistance having been given by the Allied forces to one of the parties in the civil war in Finland, and to state that the Allied military authorities have never at any time cooperated with the Finnish Red [Page 803] Guards in Finland. Further, His Majesty’s Government have no intention of assisting any Russian party to invade Finland or to foment civil war in that country.
In regard to the question of the Murman coast and Karelia, His Majesty’s Government would be glad to see a satisfactory settlement attained, but are bound to point out that the solution of the question does not lie with them. His Majesty’s Government understand that the claim of the Finnish government is based on an arrangement made between Finland and the Russian Government in 1864. Neither His Majesty’s Government, however, nor any other government, would be justified in asserting of their own motion that territory, which so long as there was a recognized government in Russia had been unquestionably Russian, should now belong to another state. His Majesty’s Government are in no way hostile to a final settlement of the question in harmony with Finnish aspirations, and it is unnecessary to say that they have no aggressive intentions towards Finland. His Majesty’s Government fear, however, that so long as Finland is under German influence, the Finnish claim will be supported by Germany merely in order to enable German submarines to operate unhindered in the Arctic Ocean. This is consonant with the interests neither of the Allies nor of neutrals. It would inflict a great wrong on Russia and would be of no benefit to Finland. It is solely with a view to keeping up communications with Russia and to prevent Germany from obtaining a submarine base on the Arctic coast that the Allies are maintaining troops on the Murman coast. The last thing they contemplate is the acquisition of territory either there or any other part of Russia.
His Majesty’s Government would have wished to consult with their Allies before making this declaration, but their information showed that there was no time to be lost if the effect of the German propaganda was to be successfully countered.
[Received August 12.]