THE CHINA MAIL, FEBRUARY 15, 1940
LAKE MARKA BATTLE
HOSTILITIES ON
AUSTRALIA
GERMANY DAY BY DAY
LAPLAND FRONT BROADCASTS RULE BY
(By Our Special Correspondent in Finland, Leland Stowe)
Salla Sector, To-day. FROM THE ENTRENCHED positions just west of the village of Lake Marka the Russian forces shelled steadily last night and to-day in an effort to hold up the determined Finnish troops which last week drove them back nearly 25 miles from Lake Juotsi.
TO EUROPE
Canberra, To-day.
DEATH PENALTY
Mr. Archie Cameron, leader Judgment on a point of law deliver- of the Australian "Country ed by Hamburg Appeal Court makes Party" broadcast from Aus-it clear that the Nazis intend to enforce tralia to Europe yesterday. prescribing the death He addressed his remarks in
particular to the German people.
Discussing fundamental war aims, he said that the British Empire de- sires nothing from German
owners.
have German emi-
The invading Red Army corps has now lost the most im- portant point of penetration attained anywhere by the Russians along the entire eastern front, as a visit to the southern Salla sector has just demonstrated to us. The hostilities in Lapland now centre around Lake Marka, which is 20 miles south-west of Salla. The struggle for Lake Marka village may be prolonged, and is likely to seesaw back and forth. Whether the Russians will counter-attack or will again be severely punished by the Finnish flanking movements remains unpre-dependent government and their own dictable.
This soldier had been on the point of throwing it when killed.
in the past, British countries provided homes for grants, many of whom had been wel-
were now
decree penalty even for such petty offences as larceny and
with full severity the recent
brawling after dark
The court decided that the law ap-- plied to all offences committed be- tween sunset and sunrise, irrespec
accused person tive of whether the was consciously "taking advantage of the black-out."
Public feeling against the ruthless- in ness of the law is reflected even guarded newspaper comment.
The "Frankfurter Zeltung" cites
comed in Australia and part of it. The British Empire mere- ly insists that Germany's neighbours three recent offences which, it says,
war.
Seven cause.
war
an
be regarded as capital shall be allowed to maintain their in- must now
crimes: Two men came to blows after a drinking party; a youth robbed
IA woman state of liberty.
machine; and Germany is now meeting Australia automatic What is vital, however, is the fact
again, with little learnt from the last snatched another woman's bag.
The "Koelnischer Zeitung" is bold Australians felt as they did in
the "merciless that the Soviets have been compelled
KILLED BY "BANDITS"
This paper to sacrifice miles of terrain and also, that
Several miles further along the road the Inst war; they were participating enough to speak of
the Government severity" of the law.
virtually any crime for the first time in this war,
because they points out that
conditions" they have managed to retreat in an
to Lake Marka, we came upon n de-in it not because serted Russian camp; 20 or 30 aban- ordered them to, but orderly fushion.
Australian Divisions carries the death penalty, while un- commit a crime Lake Marka also seems to be the doned supply waggons were the only believed in the justice of the British committed "under
war material-not eastern front signs of Soviet
as if they had only place along the
are punished exactly even a bayonet or a clip of Russian fought in the last war and others will successful attempts
follow them this time. where the Russians have constructed
to be found.
Here,
after the succeeded. positions. cartridges was secondary strong fairly
Looking to the future, graves flanks, however, were two Russian Harried and slashed on both they withdrew to these fortified lines with shaved stakes serving as tomb-war is over, Mr. Cameron said they after having held advanced posts on stones.
On the stakes, the names of the ligious freedom would be established Mandivarra Hill-which is northwest
No in Europe and that small states could of Lake Juotsi and within 15 miles Russians were printed in ink.
given. The exist by the side of big ones without of the key town Kemi on the main indication of rank was road which leads to Rovaniemi. On inscriptions written in Russian read feeling the threat from one man their retreat the Reds were punished as follows: "Killed in battle Decem- the profit of a few-Reuter.
which by some of their own guns,
ber 20th, fighting against White Guard turned bandits for the freedom of Finland.' the Finns had captured and
had been The place of their death
before we against them.
obliterated by someone arrived.
RUSSIAN DEAD When we rode through Lake Juotsi hamlet and on towards Lake Marka yesterday, we went through the for- mer Finnish and Russian front lines. We saw farmhouses on the shores of and been torn Juotsi which had
artillery by Bolshevist splintered fire.
We saw a considerable number of Russian corpses, but no. Finnish fallen, since, as is customary, had been promptly removed. What was most interesting was the total of Russian war material, of wrecked tanks, thereby testifying to the So- viet retreat and to the fact that guns sent and heavy weapons had been back.
they
lack
further From there we proceeded
Lake Marka rond the along
familiar the
now past
pine and spruce chimneys of burned farmhouses and again through a forest. At one point the car stopped and we descended, not knowing what to expect.
ROBBING THE DEAD
Three soldiers were hauling a canoe. chaped Lapp sledge. In it lay a dead Finnish soldier, the first I have seen All his under- since arriving in Finland. clothing except the woollen
from the removed wear had been corpse. On the northern Balla front
officers had told us about the Russlana This in no way detracts from an Impressive achievement by the Fin-removing woollen uniforms from some
much superlor nish troops against forces. For the first time, however, we had an opportunity to study miles had previously of territory which been held by the Russians, and most of it for nearly a month. What wa these Invading saw indicated that Russian divisions have had a conal- than the derably better leadership divisions which were moved from near Byomussalmi and Lake Tolva.
NARROW NO-MAN'S LAND The Finnish and Russian lines had faced each other with only 300 yards of separation, across an inlet of Lake Juotsi, and the Russian positions had been dug in there. They had built a covered score of dug-outs thickly
with- with pine logs. When they drew, they left this terrain heavily mined so that it was not advisable to tramp about at random in three feet
of the Finnish dead. The man's arms had frozen extended above his head In the position they had taken when hla coat and shirt were taken off.
the that Further on we learned Russians are holding a ridge on the
of
Marka village Lake outskirts while the Finns occupy a hill on the southern side of the road. The So- viets are blazing away with artillery and wasting most of their shells, as The lines are they do everywhere. relatively close and flexible, as they spread out on either side beyond the ridge and the hill. Only small groups of men can move up to or near the Finnish advance posts in these posi- tions. The Finns can often hear the
and
or shouting Russians talking every shot brings a retaliatory burst of fire. The war along the Lapland front remains open and fluctuating.
re- hoped that political, civil and ILLEGAL
COTTON
or
FOR EXPORT
London, To-day.
The Government is forming a Cot ton Board to develop the cotton ex- trade. Its committee of 12 port
and manufacturers;
chairman members will represent the workers will be "independent."
the
*~~ Apart from the-export trade, its Government de- other duties will include acting as an advisory body to partments; promoting and encourag | ing research; investigation of consump- tion; and conducting negotiations.
Part of the money raised from the Spinners will be given to the Empire Cotton Growing Corporation.
ber.
Reu-
IMPORTS
Before Mr. R. Edwards at the Cen- Lok this morning, tral Magistracy Kau, 35, travelling trader, was charg- of Importing 260 pounds ed with wolfram ore Into the Colony on board the s.s. Haitan.
Mr. W. A. Grimmitt told the Court that defendant was arrested when he landed with five bags of wolfram ore, which he admitted he brought from Haiphong.
A fine of $10 was imposed, and the wolfram ore was ordered to be con- fiscated.
Another Chinese Ng Luk, was fined into the Colony on board the s.s. Tin $10 for importing unmanifested cargo.
Sang.
It was said that defendant concealed 25 packages of merchandise inside his the without reporting it to cabin
The goods were ordered to be con- agents.
fiscated.
NATIONALISATION OF TRANSPORT
REJECTED
London, To-day.
BY A MAJORITY OF 67, the House of Commons on Tues- day night rejected a Labour motion for the nationalisa- tion of inland and coastwise transport.
The
debate arose over the Government scheme whereby the railways are guaranteed £40,000,000 profits a year while they are under Government control. Mr, Herbert Morrison attacked the ; --- agreement on the ground that it guaranteed the railways higher pro- to
tions which indicate they intend to make a stand.
It is only close to the Lake Marka of snow. We learned that the Rus-road that the Russians have fortifica- sians had circled Juotsi village the north and had reached Mandivara Hill, but the Firins with flank attacks 'forced their wholesale withdrawal last week.
In a farmhouse at the southern end
number of
World copyright 1940 by China Mail and Co-operation. Reproduc- tion in whole or part strictly forbidden.
of Juotsi we found a
WEATHER REPORT. Russian dead and more in the ad-
The Royal Observatory reports that jacent woods and undergrowth. A group of seven soldiers lay together the anticyclone has increased moder- beneath a spruce-apparently wiped ately in intensity and extended east out in a surprise handgrenade attack ward and southward covering China, at night. One Russian corpse was Japan and the neighbouring seas.
The depression, has moved into the almost headless, yet the frozen up- raised hand still clutched a grenade. | Pacific to the east of Hokki
..
in
RUMANIAN
its than they would have made OIL EXPORTS
peacetime.
Captain Wallace, Minister of Trans- for port, said that the agreement had two merits: They were paying the railways as they used them, with no postponed liabilities; the scheme, combined economy with efficiency.
The day after the agreement was signed, he went on, the railway work left to themselves, the railways would ers received an advance in wages. If have made much more than they will under the agreement Reuter, mi
London, To-day.
The question of the export of oil from Rumania in all its aspects was at present the subject of discussion' British and Rumanian between the Secretary in « Commons reply.
He was unable to make a further Governments, said the Foreign Under-
statement yet-British Wireless.