28. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTKYasked the Secretary of State for War whether the Legion of Red Finns, raised, armed, and equipped by His Majesty's Government, has been sent, or is to be sent, to the territory under the Finnish Government; whether an amnesty has been arranged for these men; and what steps have been taken to see that they are not penalised for the services which they rendered to the Allied cause?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLAt the urgent request of the Red Finn Legion, negotiations were opened with the Finnish Government some time ago with a view to obtaining for these persons permission to return to their own country. For this purpose the greater part of the Legion were shipped from Murmansk to Reval and from that place sent in batches to Helsingfors, with a view to enabling the individual cases to be gone through. So far the inquiry, at which a British representative has been present throughout, has proceeded satisfactorily, and the great majority have already been received back to their country.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYMay I have an answer to the second part of my question?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI cannot say there has been a complete universal amnesty arranged. The matter is being discussed with the Finnish Government, and the action of the British Government must be regulated by individual canes. Any questions
§ as to the negotiations should be addressed to the Foreign Office.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODIs not the conduct of the Finnish Government in such oases rather summary?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe British representative is watching the cases of these men, some of whom have been very heavily compromised in the past. Hon. Members may be sure their cases will have better attention through the presence of the British representative than they would get under any other set of circumstances.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIs it not the fact that these; men were raised by us and used by us and therefore we have a very special responsibility for them. [HON. MEMBERS: "Oh, oh!"] We are English after all—some of us.
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThese men were fugitives from Finland, having in many cases outraged the laws of the dominant party in Finland. We are endeavouring to get them repatriated and to get the Finnish Government to accept them, except in oases where some definite brutal civil crime attaches to them.