1
THE CHINA MAIL, DECEMBER 22, 1939
HOSPITAL ZONE BOMBED
Two Soviet Air Raids On Helsinki Yesterday
BIG FINNISH VICTORY ON THE CENTRAL FRONT
SOVIET DRIVE IN BALKANS
Moscow, To-day.
Soviet efforts to extend its influence in the Balkans are seen in the arrival here on December 27 of a Bulgarian delegation.
The delegation, which will be led by the Finance Minister, M. Bogilov, will negotiate a trade treaty.
Bulgarian sources disclose that the initiative for the negotiations came from Moscow.
Soviet statesmen have repeatedly stated that an improvement of trade relations between the Soviet and smaller countries is necessary as a prerequisite
to an
improvement in political relations. Havas.
GERMANS TO CHOOSE
ROME, TO-DAY.
GERMANS LIVING IN BOLZANO AND NORTH ITALY ARE OFFERED THE CHOICE OF GERMAN CITI- ZENSHIP AND REPATRIATION OR CONTINUED ITALIAN CITIZEN- SHIP UNDER THE ITALO-GERMAN AGREEMENT, THE TEXT OF WHICH WAS PUBLISHED YESTER- DAY.
31.
They must choose before December
Different coloured voting
papers are being issued, white for Italy and yellow for Germany.
The agreement was signed by Heinrich Himmler, head of the Nazi secret police, who is now in Rome, and Signor Guidi, Under-Secretary of the Interior.
Reuter.
Helsinki, To-day.
SOVIET AEROPLANES yesterday raided Helsinki, DESTROYER
where a hospital was hit, Trammerfors, Abo and
Viborg, while Soviet infantry continued to make CONDUCTED
TO RESCUE
attacks on the Mannerheim Line, without much
success.
The cold weather is being maintained, and the Finns, who are better equipped to meet it, hope the temperature will drop even lower, especially as it is reported that most of the Soviet troops come from central and southern Russia.
the
In the far North, it was not so cold Thirty high explosive bombs were yesterday as on the previous day, dropped by 12 planes. Two of when 54 degrees of frost was ex-ralders are reported to have perienced. It has stopped snowing.
In this area, the Finns claim to have made a valuable bombing raid-using seven Soviet acroplanes whose pilots had surrendered rather than fight the Finns. They bombed the Murmansk- Leningrad railway line, the main route of supply to the Russians on the Po- lar Front.
BIG FINNISH VICTORY On the central front, where the Soviets are trying to cut through to the Gulf of Bothnia, neutral correspondents have been able to verify reports of a big Finnish victory after several days of fighting.
At one place, they saw the remains of a Russian camp that was wiped out on Tuesday night, when the Finns came through the forests and down the slopes on their skis and picked off the Soviets as they stood.
It was so cold that none of the wounded survived. The frozen badies of Soviet troops were too numerous to count, the neutral observers report. Reuter.
THREE HOSPITALS HIT
Helsinki. To-day..
been
shot down.
There were very few casualties. Bombs were also dropped near the military hospital and a Red Cross dressing station.-Reuter.
HEAVY RUSSIAN LOSSES
Helsinki, To-day. A Finnish communique says that in the Karelian Isthmus enemy tacks continued.
The Russlans suffered
many losses and made
progress. Eight Soviet tanks were destroyed.
по
nt-
The Finns bombarded Russian rear-
London, To-day.
The story of how co-opera- tion between British aero- planes and a destroyer saved six survivors of a torpedoed Swedish ship in the North Sea was told in London yes- terday.
An R.A.F. 'plane on coastal patrol
the sighted a small raft with
six Swedes on it; it immediately signall- ed the news to its base, and another 'plane was sent out to keep in con- tact with the raft. The Admiralty, meanwhile, sent out a destroyer.
Thanks to the fierce gale blow- ing at the time, the raft WIE driven far from its original posi tion and the rescue 'plane had to carry out a wide search for it. Guided by flares, the destroyer
guard detachments, inflicting heavy picked the men up after steaming at full speed for a hundred miles or so. -Reuter.
casualties.
On the north-east front the Fin- nish advance towards Salla continu- ed.
Enemy aircraft continued their attacks, mostly being repulsed. The Finns brought down six planes, but 23 civilians, including women and children, were killed.-Reuter.
NORTHERN FRONT ADVANCE STOPPED (SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL")
Helsinki, To-day. The northern front is
ADMIRAL DARLAN SEES THE KING
London, To-day. Admiral Darlan, Commander-in- Chief of the French Navy, who ar- rived in London on Wednesday for conversations
with Mr. Winston Churchill and the Naval Staff. was received in audience by His Majesty the King at Buckingham Palace yes- ed under terday.-Reuter.
Finnish
General
Staff reports in-
a raging snowstorm-- and n. - hting It is now learned that three hos-has virtually come to a standstill. pitals were hit in yesterday after- The Russian advance has been stop-creased Soviet pressure in the Kare- noon's Red air raid.
ped at Nautsi, but Soviet tanks have lian Isthmus. been seen in the Petsamo Corridor.
After The
The hospitals were the Ortho- paedic, the Sisters of Mercy and the Blind School,
Dinner ...
many relish a full flavoured cheese to round off a perfect meal,
We have recently had shipments of the following:-
GORGONZOLA
BEL PAESE
KRAFT
.$1.90 per lb.
1.95
.87
"
"
AUSTRALIAN CHEDDAR
.82
"
DUTCH CHEDDAR
.80
17 "
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STORAGE CO., LTD.
Pure Food Specialists.
not
Norwegian border guards re- port that the Soviets have vlolated Norwegian territory.
Overwhelming forces of merchanis- ed elements and aeroplanes are parti- cipating in the Soviet offensive, but the Finns claim to have repulsed all
A lengthy communique Issued by the attacks.-Havas.
DIRECT ALLIED AID TO FINLAND
(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL")
London, To-day. WITH THE INCREASING Soviet pressure against Finland threatening the vital lines of communi« cation in the north and north-east, political cir- cles here express the opinion that the Allies have serious and practical reasons for assisting Fin- land.
The latter's resistance, they say, can contribute to decrease the extent of Soviet aid to Germany.
Hence, they state, the decision of the Allied Supreme Council to help Fin- land in spite of the needs of the Bri- tish and French armies.
Wall-Informed quarters point out that the Allies have already sont Finland nearly
many
planes as the United States, and Intend also to send Held artillery, . anti-aircraft gyns and other material.
war
It is reported that the Allies have also succeeded in getting Sweden to deliver to Finland a certain number of pursuit planes and bombers.--Haves.
Silky New Furs
T
THE FINEST PELTS IN. TOWN At the ABIA LIFE BLDG. ANATOLE ZAITZEFF Co.
nnana