711.60D/3–1449
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Director of the Office of European Affairs (Hickerson)
| Participants: | Dr. K. T. Jutila, Minister of Finland |
| Mr. John D. Hickerson, Director, EUR | |
| Mr. Benjamin M. Hulley, Chief, NOE |
Dr. Jutila came in to tell me he is returning tomorrow to Finland for ten days on account of the death of his sister.
He asked me about prospective dates of signing and publishing the Atlantic Pact, and I outlined it for him.1 He asked whether the Pact would make any difference in our relations with Finland. I assured him that it would not and that we fully understand the special position of Finland which we do not desire to disturb. He commented that present developments were regarded with complete calmness in Finland. Pie expressed appreciation for the help the Department had given in obtaining export licenses and hoped that there would be no change in our policy to approve as many as possible. I assured him that there was no intention to change our policy.
Minister Jutila then accompanied Mr. Hulley to the latter’s office where Mr. Green, NOE,5 was present. The conversation covered a wide range of subjects, the Minister being interested in information and impressions on Austria, Yugoslavia, Palestine, India and the like. He dwelt at some length upon his interpretation (covered by previous memoranda) of the shifts among top Soviet officials.
His remarks indicated a somewhat altered view of the North Atlantic [Page 438] Pact.3 He felt that a strong West, militarily and economically, would force the Soviets to reconsider their tactics and might persuade them to abandon expansion in favor of consolidation. He did not seem to feel that Finland’s position was endangered. He said that, depending upon Finnish Communists to further its cause, the Soviet Union would not make much progress in Finland. He stressed that so long as the standard of living is rising and economic conditions reasonably satisfactory, the Communists lose ground.
He inquired if we had any information as to Soviet military movements on the Finnish and Norwegian borders. Mr. Hulley said that we had had various reports which do not warrant the conclusion that there is unusual activity and which the Swedes, for instance, apparently did not consider significant.
Upon departing, Minister Jutila remarked that he would be seeing the Acting Foreign Minister4 and President Paasikivi. He commented that for personal reasons it was very useful to see the President.— There were reports a few months ago to the effect that Minister Jutila’s successor here had been designated. Apparently his longstanding friendship with the President as well as with the Prime Minister made these reports “premature”.5
- The North Atlantic Treaty was published on March 20, 1949, and signed in Washington on April 4. For documentation on the negotiation and signing of the treaty, see vol. iv, pp. 1 ff.↩
- Caspar D. Green of the Division of Northern European Affairs.↩
- In conversations with Hulley on January 13 and with Hickerson on January 19, Minister Jutila had offered informal and unofficial Finnish views on the North Atlantic Treaty. Jutila stressed in both conversations that the treaty would be dangerous to Finland since the Soviet Union would react against the treaty as a hostile move directed against it and might well call upon Finland for military bases or other concessions. In his conversation with Hickerson, Jutila suggested that the United States could quietly and inconspicuously strengthen the Scandinavian bloc on a commercial basis (memorandum of conversation by Hulley, January 13: 840.20/1–1349 and memorandum of conversation by Hickerson, January 19: 840.20/1–1949).↩
- Uuno Kristian Takki, Finnish Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs.↩
- On March 31, following his return from Finland, Minister Jutila called on Hickerson and reviewed President Juho Kusti Paasikivi’s views on developments during the past year. Paasikivi was not perturbed by the stream of propaganda from Moscow aimed at Finland, and he did not expect a war in the near future. He did believe that the Soviet Union would continue and intensify its “nerve war” which would include “mysterious stories of military movements on the Northern frontier.” Hickerson commented that Paasikivi’s views were in line with the Department of State’s analysis. Jutila also informed Hickerson that no change was contemplated in the Finnish representation in Washington (memorandum of conversation by Hickerson, March 31: 860D.00/3–3149).↩