THE CHINA MAIL, DECEMBER 4, 1939.
FINLAND SETTLING
DOWN TO GRIM DEFENCE Five Divisions Covering Civilian Exodus In North
800 RED ARMY PRISONERS TAKEN
Helsinki, To-day.
THE FLIGHT OF CIVILIANS in Northern Finland is now being covered by five or six divisions which, according to an official statements, have recaptured Petsamo, and have taken 800 pri-
soners.
ON THE NAZI MODEL AGAIN
Helsinki, To-day.
The Soviet allegation that the Finns are using polson gas is denied in an official communique which adds that the General Staff, emphatically, has never even considered the use of poison дая.
a
The Government was ready to allow neutral commission to make exhaustive enquiries.- Reuter.
Military observers think the Finns may make a de- termined stand between Petsamo and Revanie- mi, the only main road in this region, which is UNIONS easily blocked.
The Finns hope to maintain résistance for a long SUPPORT
time in the bewildering maze of forests and lakes
of Northern Finland.
re-
Six Italian fighter planes are ported to have arrived in Finland yesterday. They are part of an or- der for 25 recently placed in Italy,
It is stated here that the Swedish steamer Brynnhilde which left Aabo for Sweden on Friday was machine- gunned by Soviet planes but there were no casualties among the pas- sengers who included 12 French wo- men and children.-Reuter.
EVACUATION OF ALL TOWNS ORDERED
Berlin, To-day.
The Finnish Government have
evacuation given orders for the
of the civilian populations of all. the principal towns throughout the coun- try, according to a Helsinki telegrams which adds that all schools will closed.-Reuter.
LADOGA SECTOR
(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL")
be
SOVIET AIR SQUADRON
WIPED OUT
M. RYTI
(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL")
Helsinki, To-day.
SOVIET'S AIMS IN FINLAND
(SPECIAL TO “CHINA MAIL”)
Moscow, To-day. Government quarters here stress that the Soviet Union will accept no Finnish bour- geois government, while di- plomats in Moscow point out that the Soviets had formed a "popular government" at Terijoki, which was evidence that the Soviets had settled Finland's fate.
Moscow, they said, thus takes re- venge for the Communist defeat of 1918, and is determined to "liquidate" the Finnish state which has been constantly looked on with suspicion by Moscow as a centre for foreign anti-Soviet intrigues.
In the meantime, foreign observers were of the opinion that the Soviet. aggression against Finland was main- A joint proclamation launched byly a problem for Germany, Norway the Finnish Social-Democratic Party and Sweden. and the Trade Unions states that the newly-formed Finnish Government (not to be confused with the Soviet puppet government) represents the popular will and is endeavouring restore peace.
to
"Nevertheless, should the aggressors not heed our sincere wish for peace,
Amsterdam, To-day. The complete annihilation of a squadron of twelve So- viet bombers at Imatra is re- there will be nothing left for the Fin- ported by the Helsinki corres-nish working class than to take pondent of the "Telegraaf.” arms and fight brutal force in order
He says that the planes were try to save the existence
the huge electricity | nation."—Havas.
ing
to bomb
serves
the whole of
which plant South Finland.
Anti-aircraft guns, by
are sounded, works
of the eleven
bombers, twelfth made a forced
Reuter.
which the shot down while the landing.
up
of the Finnish
ENDEAVOUR TO FIND
INSTRUCTIVE SOLUTION
Helsinki, To-day. MOSCOW
Fighting continues in the Karelian Isthmus, where Soviet losses were important.
North of Lake Ladoga, the Finns are retreating in accordance with the de- fence plan of the Finnish High Com- mand..
Soviet troop movements are some- what slow and several Soviet tanks have been captured.
CONFESSION
Having
London, To-day.
The Finnish news agency an- nounces that the Cabinet decided on Sunday night to endeavour to obtain an amicable settlement with the So- viet if possible without violating the independence and vital interests of Finland.
Moscow, To-day. recovered from the first blow the Finns are "resisting more and more strongly, "according to the Soviet official newspaper, "Pravda," which adds that the retreating enemy are leaving behind machine-gunners ceived. and snipers concealed in bushes and crevices.
Railway bridges and empty houses all contain mines as well as snipers and one correspondent accuses the Router.
The Government has requested the entire population of Helsinki to eva- cuate the capital by Monday night.~ | Finns of using poison gas. Havas.
COUNTER-ATTACK IN SWEDISH
LADOGA AREA
(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL")
Helsinki, To-day.
fighting
not
Latest reports of the north of Lake Ladoga Indicate that the Finns 'have
only maintained their positions, but have also counter-attacked, de- spite the desperate attacks of the Soviet troops.
All fighting has occurred only in "No. Man's Land" and the Finnish defences are unshaken.
At Tulerna, in south Karelia, a Soviet officer is reported to have shot two Soviet soldiers who refused to attack.---Havas.
ENVOY AS MEDIARY
(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL"}
Stockholm, To-day.
The Swedish, radio declares that in a last effort to bring about, a pacific solution, the new Finnish Government requested the Swedish Minister. in Moscow, who is entrusted with Finnish interests in Russia, to make a plea to Moscow to resume ncgotiations on an honourable basis.
Foreign Commissar Molotov has made no reply to this proposal, Havas.
Finland approached the Soviet Union through the Swedish Legation in Mos- cow, but so far no reply has been re-
Reuter.
THE SOVIET COMMUNIQUE
(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL")
Moscow, To-day. It is announced by the Red Army that Soviet troops belong- ing to the Leningrad Military Dis- trict are pursuing an advance, firstly, in the Murmansk sector, "where the Finns are retreating from the Petsamo area," second- ly Soviet detachments which started an advance from Petro- zavodsk "have penetrated 35 kilometres into Finnish territory," and thirdly, the Soviets have oc- cupied the villages of Harmaatar- pila, Lautsilta, Kirka and Kiven- ·' napa.
Bad weather, it says, prevents air force activity, Havas.
RUSSIA'S AIM Economically, Russia will benefit enormously, controlling rich Finnish copper mines with an annual output of 12,000 tons.
The Petsamo nickel mines, which belong to an Anglo-Canadian con- cern, possess nickel and copper de- posits ́estimated at 5,000,000 tons, and also important molybden deposits.
It is unlikely that Russia will ex-. port these products to Germany,
since she needs them herself.
FINLAND'S RESOURCES
over' Finland
Finnish
Finally, domination will enable Russia to control several thousand tons of shipping and Fin- land's fine sailors.
timber. exports are estimated at $160,000,000, while the Bank of Finland's gold re- serve is 602,000,000 Finnish marks.- Havas.
GERMANY
AND ATTACK
ON FINLAND
LONDON, TO-DAY, GERMAN PRESS COMMENT ON THE SOVIET INVASION OF FIN- LAND ADOPT THE LINE THAT THE FOREIGN POLICY OF RUSSIA IS NO CONCERN OF GERMANY, AS THE FINNISH QUESTION IS A MATTER OUTSIDE GERMANY'S DIRECT INTEREST.
"
The suggestion is made, of course, that Finland would have accepted the Russian demands but for British en- couragement to the contrary.
Finland cannot, says one comment, look to Germany for help. If Finland desires to appeal to anyone, it should be to Britain, which has "set herself up as the protector of small States."
Reuter.
"NO CHANGE IN GENERAL SITUATION"
London, To-day, A-Finnish Army communique broadcast over the Finnish radio says that there is no change in the general military" altuation. Reuter.