1939-12-07 — Page 7

HONGKONG DAILY PRESS

CABLE

FINNS CONTINUE TO RESIST AS MASSED SOVIET FORCES POUR INTO

BY RAIL AND SEA Anxiety On Reported Threat Of Destruction

FINNISH MINISTER ALLEGED

TO BE HELD IN MOSCOW

LONDON, Dee. 6 (Reuter) While Helsinki and other towns enjoyed a third day's uneasy respite, Finnish troops In the extreme north were feverishly digging themselves in amid the charred and smoking ruins of Petsamo and Salmijaervi:

Although no Soviet bombers appeared yesterday, every one listened and watched for the first sign of the mass air raid which is expected."

AMERICANS CAN

was

JOIN CANADIAN AIR FORCE

in

OTTAWA. Dec. 6 (Reuter)---It announced yesterday Ottawa that United States citi- zens can now volunteer for ser- vice in the Royal Canadian Air Force. They must take the oath to the Crown on joining.

CANADIAN NAVY

The Canadian Navy is ready for any call that might be made on It and the normal six destroyers and five mine-sweepers have been increased by afty craft of all kinds. The pre-war personnel of 1.700 has been more than doubled

COUNTRY

THE KING WITH HIS TROOPS

$

Tour Covers Wide Area

LONDON, Dec. 6 (Reuter)— His Majesty the King spent eight hours yesterday with his armies in France and the sounds of cheering as His MANY APPLICATIONS" Majesty left each unit were OTTAWA, Dec. 8 (Reuter) carried across the country-. New regulations by the Defence side. Department opens the ranks the Air Force to non-citizens

of

of

or

His Majesty lunched with Now considerable fears are expressed for today, which is the Twenty-First Anniversary of Finland's independence. European descent in Canada who Viscount, the Duke of Glob- Many Finns fear that Moscow spared them yesterday in order that the threatened destruction should coincide with this anniversary, but conditions today are likely to be un- favourable for any air activity.

are willing to take the Oath Allegiance to the King.

It is understood that the

mez-

sure is due to numerous applica- been" tions from American youths, In the neighbourhood of alone 2,000 Russians had Petsamo and Salmijaervi, the killed and the Finnish authorities many of whom are experienced Finns are preparing to offer have evidence proving that the pilots, to join the Canadian Force. energetic resistance to the Russian are using dum-dum bul-i "Soviet attack expected in the lets and also shooting their own

near future.

men from behind.

i

FIERCE FIGHTING

cester and a score of other high officials in a simple village estaminet, ordinarily used as a Corporals' Mess.

WIDE TOUR

A

His tour covered a wide area, concluding with a review of a battalion of Highlanders only quarter of a mile behind Soviet troops marching towards the barbed wire. Petsamo, according to a Helsinki

As the convoy headed by.

Fighting in the district isi There was Berce fighting at despatch, which also states that already heavy and it is ad-saim! and many prisoners were Finnish anti-aircraft Bre inflected the King's car flying the mitted that the Russians taken. In one engagement eight gained a certain advance. out of ten Russian tanks were desy losses on Soviet aircraft at-Royal Standard returned at tempting to bomb the hydro- twilight to GHQ, little crowds troyed.

electric plants at Imatra.

of French people, lined the streets in the towns and vil- lages waving a welcome.

sca

The Russians are pouring troops by and rail- but hitherto the reinforcements have not been strong enough » to make a really successful frontal attack on the main Finnish positions.

Meanwhile, streams of fugi- tives continue to CTOSS the Norwegian frontier, but not a single Finnish soldier passed into Norway.

FINNISH CLAIM'S

TANKS DESTROYED HELSINKI, Dec. 6 (Reuter)-An official Finnish Communique states that in the three days fighting on the Karellan Isthmus 64 Russlan tanks were taken

Prisoners taken said that they had been told "that it would take five or six days to conquer Finland and that Fin- land was the aggressor, Finnish losses in the last few days are stated to be very small.

The despatch states that 40,000 Finns are opposing 80,000 Russians In Karelia.

BOOTH

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1939. -PAGE 7

It's the mellowness of BOOTH'S Dry Gia that makes it so much to be desired in cocktails. Such mellowness comes only frem treble distillation and maturing in sherry casks and BOOTHS DRY is the only GIN which receives such care in its mak- ing. It is not to be wondered at that. the 1st prize Cocktail in the Inter- national Cocktail Competition was made with Booth's Dry."

THEY MIX REAL COCKTAILS WITH

BOOTHS DRY GIN

CALDBECK,

U.S. Sympathy For Finland

DEBT PAYMENT TO

BE SUSPENDED WASHINGTON, Dec. 6 (Reuter)

ANOTHER VISITOR FINNISH MINISTER HELD IN MOSCOW

LONDON, Dec. 6 (Reuter)-President Roosevelt asked Mr. Henry Morgenthau, Secretary of Another British visitor to the LONDON, Dec. 8 (Reuter)-The|

the Treasury, to place the Finnish The naval authorities state that Finnish Minister in Moscow is held Western Front on Monday debs payment, due on Dec. 15 in the Russians have taken the Is-in the Legation and is unable to Was the Chancellor of the suspension account. land of Autasaari and that the teave the country, according to a Exchequer, Sir John Simon.

Announcing this at a presa con- Finns moved to the mainland Finnish source in London.

Taking time off from his Terence, the President added that There has been no air fighting In the Salmi region, the Finns talks with the French Finance when Congress reassembled he owing to the weather, but Finnish claim a considerable advance. In- Minister, Sir John saw sever-would suggest that the money be planes made reconnaissance flights flicting "very heavy losses." They al- secret R.AF. aerodromes. returned to Finland for the be-

also claim an advance and bombed enemy troops.

net of the Finnish people and SUCCESSES

Karelian Isthmus.

that it might be possible to make available to Finland some of her back payments States.

AIR ROME, Dec. 6 (Reuter)-Finnish In the fighting aircraft attacked and dispersed

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SOVIET BOMBING

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!

1

OSLO. Dec. 8 (Reuter-Three SOVIET - GERMAN

Russian warplanes are reported to have bombed Salmilaervi and à number of explosions were heard on the frontier.

RUSSIAN CLAIM ADVANCE MOSCOW. Dec, 6 (Reuter)-A¢- cording to the latest Soviet bulle- tin, the Red Army advanced be- tween 25 and 29 miles into the Karellan Isthmus.

It appears that the Soviet forces are only just within striking dis- tance of the Mannerheim Une, after five days' fighting.

TROOPS

הדין.

MORE OSLO, Dec.. 6 (Reuter)-Soviet

warships were observed landing

troops on both sides of the Petsa- mo Fjord, according to reports re- ceived here.

The Finns made no attempt to stop the landing and they are; awalting the Russians at Petsamo, which is stated to be strongly for tifled.

MINES BOMBED LONDON. Dec. 6 (Reuter). Three Soviet aeroplanes bombed the nickel mines city near Petsa mo yesterday.

According to reports, the city was burnt to the ground.

The Russians have landed addi- tional troops from a cruiser and two destroyers,

FINNISH RAID

ין

RIFT?

AMSTERDAM, Dec. 6 (Reuter)-It is reported that the First Secretary. M. Nikolsi Ivanoff, and two other members of the So- vlet Embassy in Berlin have been suddenly recall ed to Moscow.

The reason for the move is not revealed and much comment is caused in Ber- lin at a moment when'

her relations with Russia Germany urgently desires

to appear outwardly cor- dial.

SWEDEN ΤΟ

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HUNGARIAN VIEWS LONDON, Dec. 8 (Reuter)- Count Csaky, Hungarian Foreign Minister, was vigorously cheered when he ́expressed Hungary's 'keen sympathy with Finland in the course of speech in the Chamber of Deputies.

"This war and the plight of brother peoples," he said, "lls us with sorrow."

our

He declared that there was no possible excuse for the invasion of Finland.

The people of Mauritius have donated £2,000 to the Red Cross Fund and one aeroplane to the British Government, (Reuter).

TAKES STEPS PROTECT HERSELF AGAINST AN EMERGENCY

tervention in Finland was launch ed today by an appeal published in all newspapers and signed by the leading professora, bankers, „LONDON, Dec. 6 (Renter)--Im-; businessmen, bishops and indus- *portant precautionary measures trialists.

have been taken by the Swedish The appeal stresses the gravity Government in view of the Baltic of the issue for Finland and points HELSINKI, Dec. 8 (Reuter)-crisis. These include a step which out that only Sweden at present Finnish planes carried out a sur- has the effect of closing the Gulf is in a position to help: prise air raid yesterday on the 30- of Bothnia to the Soviet Baltic viet base at Murmansky, where | Fleet. they reported having destroyed 60

The appeal adds that the signa- tories consider it their duty to It was officially announced appeal for Swedish help for Fin- Soviet planes by means of small Stockholm last night that the hand to be provided with all re- Incendiary bombs.

waters between the Swedish north-

sources, possible. Finnish troops are reported to eastern coast and Aaland have

CHILE REJECTION have annihilated two whole. Rus-been mined. As Finland has mined

SANTIAGO, Dec. § (Reuter)—It alan, tank regiments of forty tanks waters between the Aaland Islands each. The tanks were destroyed and the Finnish coast, the Gult is is understood that the Govern- by anti-tank artillery.

now completely closed."

|ment has rejected the suggestion · PARTIAL MOBILIZATION that it should join in the declara- In addition. Sweden has extin- tion of protest by countries in guished ali navigational lighta on North and South America against IMMINENT

the east coast of Sweden and has the Russian invasion of Finland. ordered partial mobilization an The Chilean reply, it is said, TROMSOE. Dec. 6 (Reuter)-scale which will bring 40,000 addi-states that Chile la "essentially Large Soviet reinforcements are tional men to the colours im-American" which preventa her being concentrated Bear Mur-mediately and further contingents from interfering in the affairs

• shortly.

LARGE-SCALE BATTLE

mansk for what seems likely be a

treme north of Finland.

:

8.

large-scale offensive in the: ex- The Defence Minister, in an official statement, said that strong Following landings by the Red reinforcements had been sent to Army on both sides of the Petsamo the coastal fortifications and sever Fjord, troops. began to move up in al areas inside Swedish territorial large numbers from Murmansk ag-waters had been-mined, in addition cording to Finnish air observa- to the Aaland Island deld. tions.

Preparations have also been completed for the evacuation of the entire civilian pópula- tion of Stockholm, should the need arise,PARAT

The Finns have a military force of 20,000 in this area, with a atrong natural defence system and sanguinary fighting appears to be imminent.

Petsamo is still in hands.

Finnish

· INTERVENTION CAMPAIGN STOCKHOLM, Dec. 8 (Reuter)

and conflicts of another continent, The reply. It is also said, de- clares that such intervention is "belated" as no similar attitude was adopted at the time of the invasions of Austria, Czechoslova kia, Poland and Albania.

·U. 8. FUGITIVES STOCKHOLM Dec. 8 (Reuter) American fugitives from Helsinki srmed here and were greeted by in U. 8. Minister for Sweden. The U.S. Legation staff is remain- ing in Finland at a small ·· village

A campaign to favour active in-near Helsinki.

FINNISH: CAPITAL

AMAZING PLUCK OF THE FINNS

HELSINKI, Dec. 6 |(Renter)...... "The departure of the last Britons from Helsinki was ar» ranged in the early hours of yesterday by the British Lega- tian," writes Reuter's special correspondent. I and the Bri- tish-born manager of the local tobacco factory were the only Britons sleeping in the heart of the city.

W

"We were awakened at 3.30 am.

TO LEAVE

SECRET SESSION OF PARLIAMENT

ON DEC. 13

LONDON, Dec. 6. (Reuter)-—-—. It is understood that. 5. SELENÉ session of the House of Com- mons will be held on Dec. 13:

Parliament is expected to sử- Jourd on Dec. 14 until Jan. 16.

The Chinese National Govern- ment on Tuesday issued a maridate commending the late Mr. Nga' Kwong-yim, Chairman of the Chi-i nese General Chamber of Com merce in Bangkok, Stam, who was murdered on Nov. 21. Mr. Ngal

by telephone and instructed "to was a fervent patriot He had present ourselves Immediately at donated $320,000 to China's war

chest. the Legation for a trip to a secret hide-out with other Britishers who had spent the night on the out- skirts of the city.

AMAZING PLUCK

The split and pluck of the young Finns to whom I talked

before my departure are amazing "Our men are just playing withi the Russians, who arb losing tanks by the dozen;" declared one.

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