1939-11-29 — Page 9

THE CHINA MAIL, NOVEMBER 29, 1939

HIGHLY CRITICAL

SITUATION THREATENS

FURTHER PROVOCATION BY FINLAND ALLEGED

London, To-day.

MOSCOW YESTERDAY afternoon, in a Note hand- ed by M. Molotov to the Finnish Minister to Russia, denounced the Soviet-Finnish Treaty of Non-Aggression.

NEW WORLD OF FREEDOM MUST COME

London, To-day.

In a broadcast on Monday

night, Mr. Herbert Morrison, the Labour leader, said that when peace is made, a new world of freedom must be built.

which must dominate or die. man and everything for which

The Nazi regime was an evil thing If the

Nazi regime won, the free rights of

der Hitler's gauleiters.

man

Simultaneously, reports were broadcast throughout Russia of further alleged frontier incidents in which Finnish troops were guilty of grave pro- vocation. The Moscow Radio alleged that Fin-had struggled would be crushed un- nish troops attempted to cross the Soviet border and that their artillery had again shelled Soviet territory. The report referred to a clash in which three Finnish soldiers are alleged to have been killed and two taken prisoner.

There was need for a re-state- ment of the fundamental rights of mankind. A peace should en- sure that these rights covered the greatest possible part of the globe. It was up to Britain to give man- kind the lead for which it had waited so long.--Reuter.

It is now patently clear that the situation has be-

come highly critical and although the Finnish GERMANS

Foreign Office continues to make statements

expressing a hope that a peaceful solution will USE SMOKE

be possible, there is little disposition elsewhere to view the position as other than extremely grave.

All day yesterday, Soviet planes in large numbers were flying along the Finnish frontier and they penetrated frequently many miles into Finnish territory.

They were not fired upon by Fin- nish A.A. guns because specific in- structions have been given to all units in the frontier zone that on no ac- count is any measure to be taken that can be exploited by the Soviet as provocation.

A meeting of the Finnish Ca- binet was called as soon as the Min- Inter in Moscow had communicated the text of the Russian Note.

STUNNING BLOW Denunciation of the Non-Aggres- sion Pact was received as a stunning blow, and together with the informa- tion of large concentrations of the Army mechanised units and air force in the Leningrad zone, has left the Finnish people with few doubts as to the Russian intentions.

One of the first acts of the Ca- binet was to Issue instructions for the mobilisation of all Finland's fighting forces, totalling some 600,- 000 men.

The alleged frontier incidents re- ported in Moscow

fifteen miles from the frontier this would place them beyond suburbs of Leningrad.--Reuter.

i

SOVIET PRESS IGNORES FINNISH NOTE

Moscow, To-day.

as the

The Soviet press contains no men- tion of the Finnish reply to the Soviet note, denying that Finnish shells were responsible for the death and wounding of several Soviet soldiers, and continues to fill up its space with reports of protest meetings of Soviet | papers.

It is evident that the Finnish deni- al is disbelieved or disregarded in Moscow.

SHELLS

Page

FINNISH OFFICER GIVES THE FACTS

(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL") Helsinki, To-day.

A statement by Marshal Mannerheim, chairman of the Supreme Defence Coun- cil of Finland, formally denies the Soviet allegation of a frontier incident last Sunday. holiday in the

Marshal Mannerheim, who was on

Karelian Isthmus at the time when the alleged incident "occurred," said:--

"Our longest range battery near the border is a field battery situat- ed about 20 kilometros from the border.

"Our heavy artillery is about 50 kilometres from Soviet territory.

"Furthermore,. our frontier ele- ments gathered that afternoon to at- tend an open-air religious services.".

Havas,

U.S.

CONDEMNS SOVIET ACTION

(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL)

New York, To-day. ·

Paris, To-day. German troops

on the Western Front used smoke

Pointing out that the So- shells in an attack east of|viet procedure is identical the Moselle. The attack fail- with Germany's, the "New ed, after the Germans had York Times" severely criti- got within a few yards of the cizes the Soviet's attitude to- Maginot Line fortifications. wards Finland.

Following a preliminary bombard- attacked under the cover of ment by heavy artillery, the Germans shells fired by light artillery.

smoke

The French drove them back in rout, using machine-guns, artillery, | hand grenades and even pistols.

French losses were light and some German prisoners were taken-Reu-

Soviet troops have been ordered to ter. fire back in future-Reuter.

GERMANY'S INVIDIOUS

SITUATION

Berlin, To-day, Although the Nazi Government is practically supporting Soviet Russia in its pressure on Finland, there are signs that the German people are sympathetic towards Finland's case.-- Reuter.

are categorically GERMANY'S

denied in an official statement.

From Moscow, it is reported that instructions have been given to Rea Army commanders on the Finnish frontier to answer "any further Fin- nish provocation." Reuter,

1

SOVIET NOTE

Moscow, To-day. The Soviet Government reply to the Finnish suggestion that their respective troops withdraw from the border equal distances,

LOSS OF MORALE

London, To-day. Speaking before the Chel- sea Conservative Association, Sir Samuel asserts

Hoare, Lord

that the Finnish Government has Privy Council, said that in

systematically broken the non-aggres-

McCallum

Perfection

Soots Whisk

sion pact between the two countries. the early days of the war the MCCALLUM'S

The Finnish denial of the act of Nazi Government felt that aggression- alloged by Moscow in only explicable by a desire to mislead publio opinion.

"Nazi methods are contagious and their success means that all Powers nourishing- ambitions are adopting them."

This is a fundamental point of the present war, the paper goes on, for it is clear that if little States intimidated

can be by larger States using such methods, Europe will be in a perpetual state of war.. —— Havas....

IMITATED

BY MANY

PERFECTION

SCOTS WHISKY

the agreement with Soviet PERFECTION Russia gave them the balance SCOTS WHISKY ART of power.

This had not been the case, and as

The Finnish refusal to withdraw her troops from the frontier proves the desire of the Finnish Government a result there had been endless dis- to keep Leningrad under immediate threat of its army.

The Finnish Government has committed a hostile not ́against, the Bavlet In concentrating the majority of Its troops opposite Leningrad, which the presence of Finnish troops directly threatens." Soviet troops do not constitute menace to Finland. It would be absurd to withdraw Soviet troops

a

cussions at Nazi supreme headquar- ters, rumours of wrangling, outbreaks In Czechoslovakia and Austria and misgivings in Germany Itself.

It could not be definitely, said that German morale was likely to break. But the past 12 weeks had left Hitler weaker and enabled the Allies to strengthen their position.

The knock-out blow cannot now be delivered. — Reuter.

DIJM CALLUME EDINBURGH

Sole Agents:-

EQUALLED BY

NONE

(ALSO IN PINTS.)

GANDE, PRICE & CO., LTD.

St. George's Building, 2, Ice House Street,

HONG KONG

Tel. No. 20185