HONGKONG DAILY PRESS ·
FIERCE BATTLE
RAGING
CABLE
ON SCUTTLING OF ADMIRAL
NORWEGIAN FINNISH BORDER
M
Russians Claim Big Advance
1.
LONDON, Dec. 19 (Reuter)-On the Norwegian-Finnish frontler a flerce battle has been raging all last night south of Kuosjaeri and is still progressing. Soviet troops have now occupied a great part of the Finnish territory along the Norwegian frontier, although they sustained heavy losses. These losses are unlikely to have, a serious effect upon their ability to retain their new positions, owing to the large forges at their disposal.
They have been steadily pressing to the south since Friday.
Fifty Finnish soldiers cross- Finnish Commander's
ed the frontier at the week-
end and they stated that the
Finnish detachments
had
taken heavy toll of the enemy.
Statement
STOCKHOLM, Dec. 19 (Reuter) the Finnisu At one point they claimed Gen. Wallenius, that no less 700 Russians! Commander on the Northern Front. were taken completely by informed the correspondent of the surprise and wiped out with Swedish: newspaper Nyheter, that small field guns and machine- he was convinced that Russian tanks attacked by way of Nor- guns.
wegian territory during the Salmi- jaervi operations
RUSSIANS SUCCESSFUL COPENHAGEN Dec. 19 (Reuter)
He stated that Finnish machine- -Fushing across Central Finland gunners stationed on the road bor- In an attempt to cut the countrydering the front were suddenly at-! in two, the Russians are reported tacked on the flank. It was im- to have been successful at Salla. possible that Russian tanks could have avoided traversing Norwegian Just north of the "wasp waist" in the drive against Kemilaervi some soll. since the road was constantly) 50 miles further west,
If the report is true. Finnish troops are in danger of being cut off from suppiles in the south.
On the Petsamo front, the Fin- nish position is reported to be more than dangerous,
Russian victory in the reported battle south o Petsamo and Russian drive towards Pitkajaevi are claimed in a Soviet communi- que and confirmed here.
Three Russian regiments are re- ported to have been destroyed by the Finns at Suomussalmi. The Finns are holding their the south of Lake Ladoga.
own to
SEVERE MEASURES LONDON, Dec, 19 (Reuter)-Ac- cording to the French Wireless, the Chief Politica!
watched
HEAVY SNOWFALLS HELSINKI. Dec. 19 (Reuter)-- Heavy snow is now falling on all fronts In Finland, tremendously helping the Finns in their battle against Soviet aggression.
Finnish circles expect dramatic developments in the northern front before long.
It is reported that in one Finnish withdrawal the northern area, a Finnish machine-gun company remained hidden in the town from which the main body
had with drawn. The first Russian company to enter the town
machine- gunned and killed to the last man. UNCONFIRMED REPORTS LONDON. Dec.
was
ų
Disquiet In Luxembourg
BRUSSELS. Dec. 19 (Reuter)— The new measures which have been taken in Luxembourg are having a somewhat disquiet- ing effect on the population, according to reports received in Belgium.
Police are now guarding all public places and main street intersections for undisclosed reasons.
Late on Sunday night, the Government had a long' meet- ing, but the subject of the con- ference was not disclosed
On Western Front
(Reuter)...
ANOTHER RAID BY GERMANS PARIS, Dec, 19 Bitter winter weather prevalls.) on the Western Front, with low temperatures, snow and strong winds and military ac- Livity has been less than on the previous day, except in the fair- ly large area between the Saar and the Vosges, where numer. ous patrols have been constant- ly patrolling...
another
The Germans made raid in this area but were driven off by French fire and the raid's result was completely negative.
NAZI SOLDIERS CAPTURED
GRAF SPEE·
IGNOMINIOUS DEPARTURE FROM
NAVAL TRADITION
'
LONDON, Dec. 19 (Reute:)-The scuttling of the Graf Spee' constitutes an ignominious departure from honourable tradition of all Navies, as exemplified in the famous fight by Sir Richard Grenville in the Revenge, which fought 53 ships single-handed in 1591;
the
Admiral Craddock, who faced almost certain destruc- tion at the hands of a vastly superior fleet at Coronel in 1914:
The Spanish Republican Destroyer "Lois Diaz," which, Civil War, after undergoing repairs in Gibraltar, in the came out and faced a powerful force of the Nationalist Navy.
S
The scuttling indicates not only lack of will to fight, but the absence of confidence in final victory, when the ves- sel, if interned, would have been restored. ·
U.S. Concern Over Scuttling
FORLORN HOPES
NEW YORK. Dec. 19 (Reuter)- Commenting on the sinking of the Graf Spec, Major Fielding Elliott, the noted American millsary com- mentator, says that forlorn hope has time and again produced mag- nificent results, "but forlorn hopes are not in the German tradition."
Although the Graf Spee will rald NEW YORK, Dec. 19 (Reuter)- President Roosevelt kept in close no more, he says, Argentine beel touch with the State Department and wheat will continue to travel from his Hyde Park home yester- to ports in Britain. day, getting all, the latest news concerning the Graf Spee and her settling.
It is pointed out here that the President was particularly con cerned with the possible dangers to north and south American pro perity, interest and lives caused by belligerent operations in the western hemisphere and that the scuttling of the Graf Spee raises several important questions.
GRAF SPEE CREW SAVED
19 BUENOS AIRES, Dec. (Reuter) The Commander of the Graf Spee and the whole of the crew, except those wounded in the battle, have arrived here on board trawlers. The crew will be Interned
12
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1939. -PAGE 7
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SUCCESS OF BRITISH NAVAL ACTIVITY
First Lord Pays Tribute To Latest Exploits
LONDON, Dec. 19 (Reuter)-In a broadcast last night, Mr. Winston Churchill, First Lord of the Admiralty, refer- ring to the Graf Spee battle, said that despite far the Nazi ship's heavier armament and commanding range, she was driven to take refuge in a neutral harbour. She then had the alternative of submitting to internment or going.
would have down in battle, like the Rawalpindi, which been honourable to her.
She found a third alternative of emerging, not to fight, but to sink herself in the fairway of a neutral state from whom she had received shelter and succour as pres- cribed by international law.
She knew that the British heavy ships, the Renown and Ark Royal were still 1,000 miles away, oiling at Rio, AU
VIOLATION ISSUE At their recent conference, for twenty-one American instance,
300-le cidents. such as the Grat Spec that awaited her outside the countries proclaimed a safety-zone with the intention of scuttling. asking the belligerents keep their naval engagements out of this
STRONG TERMS
Foreign
BUENOS AIRES 'Dec. 19 (Reu WAR COMMUNIQUE
ter) The Argentine PARIS, Dec. 18 (Reuter)-A War area. Communique states that "towards
The question now arises: Is the Minister, Senor Cantilo, declared midday a
sharp engagment oc-Grat Spee incident a violation of that he would publish today a Joint note to be addressed by curred in the Vosges between one the spirit of this? of our reconnaitring parties and After the proclamation of the twenty-one American countries to Sumner Welles the belligerents, protesting against German units. We made some safety-zone. Mr.
neutrality announced that the United States the violation of the prisoners, including officers.” 19 (Reuter)}-
had no intention of sending its zone established by the Panama of the Commissar and Reports of dissension, and even i
Navy out to enforce the main-Conference by the battle PARIS, Dec. 19" (Reuter)-Sev-tanance of the zone. but would River Plate. Chief of the Ogpu left Moscow for revolt, among Soviet soldiers and
The note drafted by Senor Can- the Finnish front to investigate civilians are reported from Stock-eral German soldiers, including like belligerent countries to re- the recent cases of disaffection holm via Estonia.
two officers, were captured yester-cognise the existence of the area tilo was "approved by the other states and declares in strong terms NO SPECULATION among Russian troops
On Sunday night it is reported day after a clash between German The Kremlin is said to be most that the men of a Soviet battalion raiders and a Frerich outpost.
There is no speculation in white that the battle caused dissatis- whether formal faction to American countries and dissatisfied with the conduct of the north of Lake Ladoga mutinled.
A communique issued in, Paris House quarters Finnish campaign and it is expect shot their Commissar and went yesterday states that there was action for seeking international sets forth formal declarations in- ed that severe measures will be over to the Finns.
nothing of importance to report, observance taken against Russian commanders Yesterday there were reports of says a Reuter message. at the front.
disturbances among the civilian populations of Leningrad and Mos- cow.
TWO CLAIMS
A Helsinki communique states that altogether 212 enemy tanks have been destroyed.
A Moscow communique claims that Red Army troops occupied the town of Pitkajaervi
A PROMISE
LONDON, Dec. 19 (Reuter)- Information from Moscow states that the new Red Army leaders have promised the Kremlin that' Finland will be cleaned-up" by February.
are
Extraordinary security measures are. sald to have been taken, The more important institutions being guarded, private houses are being raided by police and radio. receivers are being seized..
It must be emphasised, however, that these reports are not yet confirmed.
KARELIAN ISTHMUS LONDON, Dec. 19 (Reuter)-The i fighting in Finland appears to be at its heaviest in the Karelian
As a result of the unexpectedly Isthmus, judging from all sources. strong Finnish resistance, it is..
have The Finns are believed to stated that the Ogpu have started
gained ground in that area. They
a purge of Boviet officers serving say that they have forced in Finland,
Russian Troops With
Small - Pox
the.
Soviets back and destroyed thirty tanks.
Isthmus.
ין
prevent a repetition of the area will be tended to speeded up to prevent future" in- or such occurrences.
BRITISH SUBMARINE'S ENCOUNTER
WITH THE BREMEN: FULL
IS REVEALED BY ADMIRALTY
STORY
never
harbour were two six-inch gun cruisers, the Ajax and Achilles, and the eight-inch gun Cumberland, which had arrived to replace the damag- ed Exeter.
SUBMARINE SUCCESS
"In the North Sea British sub- marines had the best week I can remember either in this war or in the last.
suffer British submarines serious disability in that they are not allowed to sink merchant- ships without providing for the safety of the crew. They do not attack neutral vessels and humble flabing-boats and Ger- man warships hardly ever ven- ture out of port.
PRAISEWORTHY ACTION
She
„BAN ON USE OF RADIO SETS IN BRITISH WATERS
(Reuter)
LONDON, Dec. 19 --Foreign ships in territorial waters around
the
United
Kingdom are now forbidden
$0
thele use
except when
wireless sets communicating
with specific receiving stations. in Britain.
Such communication must be carried out in English, French or international code.
of signals Distress
OX- course, exempt from this der.
art,
ANGLO - JAPANESE DISCUSSIONS
SHANGHAI, Dec. 19 (Int'l)-With the arrival in Tokyo of Mr. Tana- ka, Japanese Consul from Tien- The exploits of the submarine tsin, and Major H. A. Herbert, Salmon are praiseworthy in the British Consul from Chefoo, it is highest degree.
abstained reported that Anglo-Japanese 'dis- from torpedoing the Bremer, when cussions on the Tientsin issue will
be held in the Japanese capital. she was at her mercy.
Later on it is reported that For- When she observed Nazi war The warning shot was fired-German aircraft appeared vessels at one of their rare excur-eign Minister Nomura will meet overhead and forced the sub- sions, she hit two cruisers, which Sir Robert Cralgie, the British. marine to dive.
may been able to limp home, but ambassador, on the same issuc,
abandon In spite of being forced dive by which were forced to
the submarine could whatever enterprise they had. aircraft, LONDON, Dec. 19 (Reuter)-An Admiralty statement issued at 7.60 p.m. yesterday states that the Commander easily have fired six torpedoes into the Bremen as she dived, for she the attacking of the British submarine which sighted the Bremen or was already on dered her to stop and was preparing to fire a warning shot course, but the dictates of inter- when enemy aircraft forced the submarine to dive.
Despite the fact that German aircraft were known to be near, the submarine came to the surface and signalled the Bremen "stop Instantly."
In
This report may be partly con armed by the fact that while 80-
The Bremen took no notice.jshe found the Bremen steaming vies ofacial communiques give de- tails of the operations on other: The submarine Commander past fairly fast, but it was at once
within torpedo range. fronts, they are suspiciously and was making ready to fire a obvious that the liner would pass
across the Bremen's well totally silent about the Karellan shot
bows when he was compelled fact, it would have been impossible for the captain of the submarine to submerge...
to have missed such a great tar- COMMANDER'S DECISION ' ger had he decided to fire at it, but Twenty-four hours later, the the captain had definite orders submariné
a pocket-battle- from the Admiralty that war at SKEW ship, two battle cruisers and three sea was to be conducted in strict North of Lake Ladoga the Finns
The sub accordance accompaning cruisers. (Reuter)-- also seem to be doing well. Their marine Commander decided to at-law. small-pox has broken out among batteries destroyed three armour-tempt to disable more than one
ed cars and Finnish aeroplanes ship. the Russian Army in Finland.
Reports reaching bere state that have also been busy.
OUTBREAK IN
FINLAND
HELSINKI, Dec. 19
the outbreak is spreading rapidly
NEW DEFENCES Although the Mannerheim Line Is many ralles deep, the Finds are still erecting new defences miler behind.
and has already reached the pro-U.S. NEWSPAPER
portions of an epidemic.
A further 2,000 men from Moscow,
have been brought up to reinforce
the Russian troops in Finland.
SOUTHWARD MARCH
COMMENTATOR DEAD
His first torpedo struck the cruiser Leipzig. Two more torpedoes are believed to have struck another heavy cruiser. Three more torpedoes passed between the enemy ships.
The
com-
national law could not be plied with and so the Bremen was" allowed to proceed on the way
unharmed.
statement
The Admiralty adds: "That is the story of the sighting of the Bremen by a British submarine. It con- trasts strongly with reports which have been circulated by the Gemnan Radio," which are not substantiated by a single fact.”
Mr. Sotomatsa Kato, the Japan- Today the Ursula reports sinking ese Minister at Large in China, a cruiser, although surrounded by left Peiping by air yesterday morn- German destroyers.
ing for Nanking, says Reater.
NAZI RAIDER'S CAREER: NINE SHIPS SUNK IN OVER
2 MONTHS
LONDON, Dec. 19 (Reater) At NOTHING KNOWN
IN LONDON
least two British ships scuttled themselves when the Graf Spee tried to capture them, it learned yesterday. when fuller details of the raider's carcer
with International INDIA'S STRONG became available.
·British submarine, therefore, set about carrying out the procedure required of it under international law.
LAMP SIGNAL
ANTI-NAZI POSITION
German Perfidy
& Hypocrisy
SADLY MIS KEN-
In spite of the fact that enemy aircraft were known to be in the vicinity, he came to the surface NEW YORK, Dec. 19 (Reuter)~-~
LONDON, Dec. 19 (Renter)-The -OIL ON SURFACE -
and made to signal. by daylight Mr. Heywood Broun, well-known
The submarine, after being signalling lamp "stop Immediate Bombay Chronicle states: "Berlin broadcasts are daily trying to pre-. LONDON, Dec. 19 (Reuter)-A newspaper commentator and Pre-
the message from
sent the rulers of Germany as Norwegian-sident of the American Newspaper hunted for two hours, returned to 19" The Bremen took no notice.
The Commander of the sub-friends of India, Finnish frontier states that Guild, died yesterday morning at the spot after and found an area
ol nearly four square miles thick-marine at once gave orders for his, piercing Finland from the extreme 10 a.m., age 51.
Mr. Brown was taken to hospitally coated with oll
gun to be loaded, in order that a north, Red Army troops have turn-
"It is in keeping w.h their tradi- ed the Finnish defence line south a few days ago suffering from The Admiralty comment states: shot could be fired across the bows of Balmtjaervi and continued to meumonia. His condition fuc- "It seems certain that at least one of the Bremen. It was not until tion of pertidy and hypocrisy that Mahatma slandering tuated over the week-end and took heavy cruiser, in addition to the this had been done could the Bri- the Nazis, who only a few weeks
were ago
and Pandit Nehru Gandhi They are now over 60 miles from a turn for the worse early in the Leipzig, was, badly damaged and tish submarine legally take offen-
that at least one of the ships sive action. have Petsamo and
apparently morning.
Agents of World Jewry are now might well have failed to reach
praising them for their stand on occupied hundreds of miles of ter- ritory along the Norwegian border.
Even then the responsibility for the war issue Finnish troops are retreating in pointed
making provision for the safety of Co-operative Enter- good order, probably on a pre- tration
under the Ministry of LONDON, Dec. 19 (Reuter)-The of the Bremen's crew would have! arranged plan, while small detach; prises
Chinese Admiralty statement discloses that devolved upon the submarine- ments of troops are carrying on Economic Affairs by à
to matter of impossibility in the cir guerilla warfare behind the Russian National Government mandate at when the submarine came
periscope depth to investigate, cumstances. -Lines
march southward,
יו
Mr. Shou Mien-cheng was apport."
Director of the Adminis
Monday.
WITHIN RANGE
FORCED TO DIVE
"They are sadly mistaken, of course, if they imagine that either by vilification or flattery they can shake Nationalist In- dia's firm anti-Nazi position."
FIRST VICTIM
Was
On Oct. 7, the Graf Spee's first victim the 5,000-ton Clement, was
British Minister's Detention
LONDON, Deo. 19 (BW)--BO- encountered. As the German ship garding the report that Mr. Gordon opened fire on the Clement, her ❘ Vereker British Minister Designate Captain ordered the destruction of in La Paz, has been captured by the ship's wireless, engines and Germäns from a neutral ship in stores and the seacocks opened and the Baltic, nothing is yet known in official quarters in London of the crew took to their boats.
the circumstances.
Later they were placed aboard a Greek steamer, the master of which was threaten- ed with sinking when he re- fused to take them on board without payment.
on
It cannot be confirmed that Mr. Vereker la. in Germany, though 1. is a fact, that he was in a neutral ship on his way from Tallinn to Stockholm which was intercepted by a German warship. -
U.S. INTERVENTION
SUNK BY BOMBS Other ships, including the Ashley bombs during October, when the If Mr. Vereker has been detained and Huntsmart, were sunk by Graf Spee crept up them despite his diplomatic privilege. unawares by flying the French the United States Government, which has taken charge of British Flag.
interests in Germany will be ́abk- ed to take up the matter to pro cure his release.
In two and a half months, she accounted for nine ships, totalling 48,000 tons, which is less than half the damage done by the "Emden, which was only one-third the Graf. Spee's size,
in the last war.
'Mr. Vereker was coming home from Moscow to prepare to take up his appointment in the Bolivia. British Service.