1939-12-27 — Page 9

Nobody Wants Gen. Merejkov's Job In Finland GRIM STORIES OF RED ARMY PLIGHT

KING'S MESSAGE BEGINS A QUEST

·

"I SAID TO THE MAN WHO STOOD AT THE GATE OF THE

YEAR, GIVE ME LIGHT THAT I

MAY TREAD

THE

SAFELY INTO

HE

UNKNOWN AND REPLIED, GO OUT INTO THE DARKNESS AND

PUT YOUR

HAND IN THE HAND OF GOD. THAT SHALL BE BETTER THAN LIGHT."

(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL")

Berne, To-day.

THE STOCKHOLM correspondent of the "Basler,

STALIN'S Nachrichten" reports that the situation of the POWER

Red Army in Finland, as described by Soviet pri- soners, is extremely bad.

Prisoners, he says, are mournful, indifferent, tired

out and completely unenthusiastic.

OVER They declare the Red Army suffers more dead HITLER

through disease than through the enemy's wea-

pons.

The correspondent says, however, that rumours of internal strife be- tween the Soviet leaders, or trouble among the masses, are at least premature.

of

Soviet propaganda has been inten- sifled and tries to persuade the popu- lation that they are facing not only whole of Western

Everything points

This quotation, with which Finland but the His Majesty the King con- | Europe. cluded his Christmas broad- cast has aroused much inter- est and curiosity as

to its origin and authorship.

+

Reuter says that a number of liter- ary authorities, including Mr. John Masefield, the Poet Laureate, declar- ed that they had no knowledge the author,

of

The mystery seems to have

been solved partly by Mrs. J. C. M. Allen, of Bristol, who states:

"The quotation was found on # postcard among a dead man's effects. I do not know who wrote the original. I sent the quotation In a letter to the "Times" In the dark days of September message of encouragement and presume that the King must have soon it."

MANCHUKUO

FRONTIER

PEACE NEAR

A

to the fact that Russia is preparing for a long campaign.

General

MEREJKOV NOT ENVIED

Meanwhile, reports that Merejkov, commander of the Lenin- grad military region, has been re- moved from office, are unconfirmed.

It is rumoured that the move was contemplated but по officer Wis found ready to take General Merej- kov's duties and assume the respon- sibilities of the Finnish campaign. Havas.

SOVIET AIR LOSSES

Helsinki, To-day.

A Finnish communique claims that during Christmas Day Finnish naval and air forces destroyed at least 23 Soviet planes, and possibly 26. The Finnish aircraft suffered loss. Reuter.

GERMAN REIGN OF

Moscow, To-day. TERROR

After eight meetings at

Chita, the joint Soviet-Japan IN POLAND

ese - Mongolian - Manchurian frontier commission has con-

cluded its discussions.

The commission laid the founda- tion for a settlement on January 7,

ed in Harbin,

charted on the map.

(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL")

no

Bucharest, To-day. An absolutely reliable

when the same body will be conven-source reports that the Ger- It is stated the commission agreed mans have instituted a reign that frontier points will then be of terror throughout Poland, to which the Poles are reply- coincide with the arrival of a Jaing by a passive resistance panese trade mission in Moscow for campaign. conferences...with Foreign Commissar Mikoyan-Reuter.

The opening session in Harbin will

६'

CHINA'S TRADE BALANCE

Crimes punishable by death without trial are rebellion, incitement to re- bellion, possession of arms, insult to the swastika, distribution of subver- sive pamphlets and defacing official posters.

Meanwhile, all German attempts to foster a pseudo-Polish regime have failed, as even those known as pro- Germans before the war are refusing

Chungking, To-day. Chiria's imports from January to November totalled $1,245,416,339 and exports, $905,118,659, resulting in an to co-operate.

adverse balance of $340,297,000, ac- The population's attitude is appar- cording to statistics compiled by the ent in Warsaw, where all customers Chinese Maritime Customs.

- tal-News.-

JAPAN'S PROBLEMS

Emperor's Speech

FADING

(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL”)

Paris, To-day.

"The Finnish war has brought about a certain re- versal in the relations be- tween Hitler and Stalin," the "THE URGENT NECESSITY OF well-known political com-

From Throne to Diet

EFFECTING

TOKYO, TO-DAY.

STABILISATION. IN

BY REPLENISHING mentator "Pertinax" writes NATIONAL RESOURCES in "l'Ordre."

EAST ASIA JAPAN'S

IN THE FACE OF THE EXTREME- LY COMPLEX INTERNATIONAL SITUATION," WAS STRESSED BY needed Stalin more than Stalin need- He adds: "Up to now Hitler has THE EMPEROR IN THE SPEECH❘ed him. FROM THE THRONE ΤΟ THE

DIET YESTERDAY,

His Majesty expressed satisfaction with the growing friendly relations between Japan and the countries with which she had treaties.

He added he was progress Ching.

gratified at the of the fighting services in

Reuter.

CONTACT – UNITS ACTIVE

Paris, To-day. The communique issued by French HQ., last night states that there had been activity of contact units-Reu- ter.

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"Up to November 30 the could look down on Hitler, whose forces were heavily pressed on land and sea.

the

"The Finnish campaign and compel him to treat Hitler with re- heavy blows dealt to the Red Army

spect.

"This is Ribbentrop's opportunity to regain" lost "ground," and we will soon know whether Berlin-Moscow co-operation is being exerted in Scandinavia, the Balkans or else- where.

"Stalin, however, would better be cautious."--Kavas.

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