1940-02-10 — Page 7

HONGKONG DAILY PRESS

PENETRATE

SOVIET TROOPS MANNERHEIM LINE

Heavy Battle Raging On Finland's Central Front

HELSINKI, Feb. 9 (Reuter)-As. the result of the ten days' fighting in which they were careless of losses, the So- vlets seem to be making little progress against the Man- derheim Line, having penetrated it at one point to within about 20 miles of Viborg.

So far, however, there is no indication that it is a serious breach of the break-through.

FINNS A RACE OF

SUPERMEN

X

The Mannerheim Line is not a line but a series of defences of considerable depth. The Russians suffered heavy losses in this attempt one estimate putting their losses at 5,000

LONDON, Feb. 9. (Reuter)-On the return of the British Labour Mission from Finland. Mr. Noel men. Baker, in an interview. described the Finns as a race of supermen.

"I have seen four armies in the field, but I have never seen any thing to beat the Finns as sol- diers. But they need help.”

CENTRAL FRON),

EXECUTION. OF I.R.A. TERRORISTS

EX - REPUBLICAN LEADER'S SPEECH LONDON, Feb. 9 (Reuter)—A; a meeting in Cork, thousands prayed for the repose of the souls of Barnes and Richards, the two condemned I. E., terrorists and passed # conviction in their complete in- resalution expressing nocence, condemning the execu tions and calling on the members of the Iish race everywhere to foin in protesting.

Another resolation extolled Banes and Richards as soldiers of Ireland, who died for Ireland as gallant patriots.

men.

On the Central Front there" is

CONCLUSIVE PROOF still fighting near Suomussalmi where the Finns are reported to leader, in a speech, declared that Mr. Tom Barry, ex-Republican have defeated a Soviet battalion. He had conclusive proof of the Emphasising the special need On the Salla Front Swedish innocence of both the executed for weapons to combat air raids, volunteers have taken over a sec he said: "We saw enough air raids tion of the front from Finnish which caused the Coventry tragedy He said that the bomb open..

towns, soldiers who have been fighting was intended to be exploded two are being bombed for no reason the Soviets almost continuously miles away against except that they are open towns,

an electric. plant, but went off accidentally. Barnes and Richards were not Coventry Street that

to convince us that

since the war began. "Bombs fell in Turku and other At sca the Soviets appear to places within two miles of port have taken a leaf out of the Nazi even in or anywhere else of military im note Book and have machine-morning. portance. It was marksmanship."

11

to

CABLES

NAZI REMOVED FROM PORTUGUESE LINER

LISBON, Feb. 9 (Kentar)-—A French warship stopped the Portuguese laer Guine, 150 miles south-west of Madeira and removed passenger.

one

German

Mass Murder By Nazis

REPRISAL AGAINST SHOOTING OF TWO. SOLDIERS

PARIS, Feb. 9 (Reuler)-Over 130 people, including two doctors, 17 women and a boy of 14, were shot dead by Nazi troops in s mass murder at Wawer and near Anin, according, to reports reach- Ing official Polish sources in Paris.

The murder was a reprisal be- police shot two German soldiers cause two men wanted by the

who were abut to arrest them in a restaurant at Wawer.

diately ordered one inhabitant in

The commanding officer imme-

10 in Wawer and Anin to be shot.

Families were dragged from houses and machine-gunned and the owner of the restau- ̈ rant was hanged.

The Germans also stopped a the train and shot one passenger in

not just bad amned" and sunk" the Virgo a Mr. Barry appealed

small Swedish ship near the people of Cork and Ireland to five.

Islands. The

Swedish restrain themselves "regarding

HOSPITAL BOMBED

U.S. PRESS CRITICISM

- NEW YORK. Feb; 9 (Reuter)~~ American press comment on the execution of Barnes and Richards is not altogether free from criti-

Sir Walter Citrine told Reuter Auland that one could not help being im-Government is expected to lodge Britishers" pressed by the sublime confidence a protest. of the Finns, which was Hot in the leas; based upon ignorance.

NO BOMBING RAIDS STOCKHOLM, Feb. 9 (Reuter) Scandinavian reports declare that. there has been an absence of bombing raids by the Reds during the past few days. This may be due to the use of British aircraft which have just arrived in Finland. The Russians have great respect for British fighters.

HELSINKI, Feb. 9 Reuter)") bombed by Soviet planss yester-cism of Britain. Among the buildings In, Kajana day were the gaol containing a number of Russian prisoners and

a hospital marked with the Red

Cross.

The Washington Post says: Events alone can prove, whether or not, it was politically wise for the British Cabinet to disregard the appeals for mercy.

It is added that 72 Poles were also killed in a similar mass mur- der near Cracow.

WESTERN FRONT

ACTIVITY

RUSSIAN LOSSES COPENHAGEN, Feb. 9 (Reuter)! "No doubt the Home Secretary FRENCH PATROL -War material lost by the Rus- had the approval of the vast ma- stans since the outbreak of the jority of the British public. Om Finnish war includes 308 aero- clal mercy would have been In- planes and 588 tanks, according to terpreted by Germany as proof of reaching Inherent weakness in the British Government. but the enemies of Britain stand to benefit by the executions'

MORE CANADIAN reliable information

TROOPS ARRIVE

IN BRITAIN

1

here.

Among other Russian losses are stated to be 1,560 horses. 20 trac tors 234 machine-guns and 235 automatic pistols.

TANKS DESTROYED

Greeted By Cheering HELSINKI, Feb.

Crowds At Quay

LONDON Feb. 9 (Reuter)-The War Office announced that "a further contingent of the Cana- dian Active Service Force arrived in Britain and proceeded to its concentration area.""

The Canadians were greeted by cheering crowds at the quayside. The voyage was without incident.

READY FOR SERVICE Travelling with the Canadians were a number of men ready for service after training under the Empire Air Training Scheme.

An American was among the first to land. He joined the Canadian Army because he "thought it would be fun."

FULL-BLOODED INDIANS Mixing with Scots and French Canadians in one party were full- blooded Indians, described by an officer as of "infinite patience and excellent snipers." Some of the Canadians spoke Gaelic.

SECOND DIVISION OTTAWA, Feb. 8 (Reuter)-The second Canadian Division is ready to leave as soon as the first Cana .dian Division leaves England for

France.

HECKLING AT PUBLIC MEETING

NO PROTECTION FOR MINISTERS

Recalling the effect of the 1916 executions. It concludes. It may be that the rope that broke the necks of Barnes and Richards may also break the prestige of the De Valera Government and, with" it fading of hopes of a real

9 (Reuter) Nearly one-fifth of "Russia's great armada of tanks on the Finnish according to estimates here." Front have now been destroyed, Anglo-Irish peace." number destroyed is given as 800.

The

The failure of Soviet tanks has the present offensive against the been one of the chief features" of

Mannerheim line.

Russian losses in the battle of Summa are now estimated at 5,000 and Finnish losses at probably not one-fifth of that number.

NO FOOD SHORTAGE HELSINKI, Feb. 9 (Reuter)-- There are two encouraging items of home news from Finland today. Despite the war the Finns are not suffering from any lack of food. Indeed the Government has asked the people to eat more and thus safeguard their health and fitness for winter.

More land is being put under cultivation for fresh while a neutral correspondent re- vegetables

ports that he never found any- thing but good food and plenty of it

Bee

SCOTLAND YARD'S PRECAUTIONS "LONDON, Feb. Ө (Reuter- Night patrols of police and de- tectives were reinforced last night As an extra precaution against further Irish Republican outrages. Special attention was paid to all buildings of national importance large business premises, factories, post offices and pillar -boxes.

EXPLOSIONS

AND FIRES

LONDON, Feb. 9 (Reuter): A series of explosions at sta shook towns on the east coast of England last night.

The life-boats stood by but have not been called out.

PLANES DESTROYED that education of Finnish chil-states that eight aeroplanes and

Steps are being taken to

Another message from London dren does not cease owing to the five aeroplanes engines were des- war. Those evacuated from the troyed by fire which broke out in danger areas will receive their a large hangar at a civil 'aero- education through radio, by post drome in Essex or through, newspapers.

NO PROTEST STOCKHOLM, Feb. 9 (Reuter) Swedes will probably not make an official protest, to Russia about the bombing of the Virgo.

INDUSTRIAL PLANT LONDON, Feb. 9 (Reuter).The Paris Radio learns that the im- portant industrial plant at Lubeck, was destroyed by a fire, the cause of which is not known. It now appears that the bomb-

BOMB EXPLODES ing did not occur, as originally, re- ported, in the neutral"Aaland zone. lice official was killed and two BERNE, Feb. 9 (Reuter)-A po- but in the Turku Archipelago, other persons seriously injured by which is part of the zone where a bomb explosion in a Lusanne

Russia had declared a blockade.

police laboratory. SOVIET CLAIM

A German LONDON, Feb. 9 · (Reuter)—In

national. named the House of Commons, the Home

Zuschnig had MOSCOW, Feb.

been B

receiving Secretary was asked whether steps Operations in the Summa district, being a spy and when he received (Reuter) anonymous letters charging him could be taken by the police, to where Soviet troops have been by post, yesterday morning, a sus prevent Fascist interruptions of pounding the Mannerheim Line,picious package, he took it to the speeches by Cabinet Ministers were mentioned for the first time police. When it was opened there these disturbances are designed in the Boviet communique today, was a violent :explosion, to help the enemy.

The Soviet claim to have occu- A inter message stated that a pled the fortified area at Hotinen, man and woman had been arrest- capturing several forts and in-ed. flicting great losses to the Flons.

TWO KILLED BEDS DRIVEN OUT

BERLIN, Feb. 9 (Reuter)-Ac- HELSINKI, Feb. 8 (Reuter)The cording to the

News

German

NO PROTECTION Sir John Anderson replied that however much one might deplore such interruptions, public meet ings addressed by Cabine:, Minis- ters are in the same position as Russians at one time yesterday Agency, a Roma felegram states. other public meetings and that forced their way into the Finnish that five persons were killed and therefore, no greater protection defences but were driven out after two injured in an explosion in can be given to Cabinet Ministers eight minutes of hand-to-hand a munitions factory near Turin than to other, speakers

fighting.

on Wednesday.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1940-PAGE

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100% BRITISH

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2. CHATER ROAD.

Rumania's New Defence Line

BUCHAREST, Feb. (Reuter)— News of a new defence line in the so-called Carol's Dyke "was released to the newspapers here for the first time yesterday.

in-

Whole pages are devoted to de- scriptions and illustrations and It is universally declared that any attempt at a surprise attack will PARIS, Feb. 9 (Reuter)-As the certainly fall No tank could French Command continues to pass those gigantic traps ·and lines, patrol activity on the West- stantly be covered with inflam- sound and probe the German canals whose watera would

ern Front is increasing.

mable liquid. During the past 24 hours three The fortifications were executed Datruis advanced into No-Man's in record time and Land between the Moselle and the the slogan of "Not an Inch." Saar and thence-penetrated "the German lines.

ing information and without be- All returned with much interest-

ing challenged or engaged by the Germans

materialised

H.M.S. SPHINX CASUALTIES

LONDON, Fet. 9 (Reuter)-The Admiralty announced that the casualties of H. M. S. Sphinx as one FRONT-LINE AIR

officer (the commander). three radings killed, four officers missing STRENGTH

and presumed dead. One petty- LONDON, Feb. 9 (Reuter) Sir

officer died from injuries and the Wood said that the canteen manager is missing, pre- Kingsley

considerable increase had Commons could rest assured that a sumed dead. made in the effective strength of NEW TAX IN aghter squadrons since the Out- break of war when he was asked,

ITALY having respect to the prospect of Special to the H.K. Daily Press nassed air attacks at leas

ROME, Feb. 9 (Reuter)-A new shipping and ports, whether he uniform tax of two per cent. on could make an explicit statement all payments has been enforced. on the rate and growth of effective It is anticipated that the yield will front-line ar strength.

been

On

amount to four billion fire.

الله

Latest Nazi Warning To Neutrals Draws Spirited Reply

11

From Denmark

LONDON, Feb. 9a (Reuter)—A new “warning” to neutrals was given in a broadcast by Rear-Admiral yon Laetzow over the German wireless. ·

i

He said that "Germany was watching, with the closest 'at- tention, what the neutral will do to free themselves from Bri- tain's blockade measures.

"The future will reveal how Germany will retaliate against these measures," he concluded. COPENHAGEN, Feb. 9 (Reu- ter) The Government new paper Sozial Demokraten re- plies to the Nazi warning against neutral ships voyaging off the English coasts.

international rights and interna- tional agreementa,

LIVE IN PEACE

legations about neutral shipping It particularly refers to the al- appearing in the Angriff and says: "What Denmark wishes is only to live in peace, What we ask for, and even claim under signed treaties and acknowledged inter- national rules of right, is only to be allowed to carry on economi- cally and politically to as great extent us is possible.

"When the Angrin frankly

sailing near England, must him- states that he who perishes while

self take the responsibility, that is a sentence which is contrary to

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IMPORTANCE OF ALLIED WAR COUNCIL STRESSED

BY PRIME MINISTER

LONDON, Feb. 9 (Reuter) - Greeted with cheers when rising to make his summary on the war position in the House of Commons yesterday, the Prime Minister, Mr. Neville Chamberlain, sald that in recent weeks winter had rupting even the normal activities of nations, so that there gripped Europe, halting the operations of war and inter- had been few events of importance to record.

Referring to the meeting of world, and "we rejoice to think the Allied War Council in that the help given from this Paris on Monday last, Mr. country has been of real value to Chamberlain said: "It could, I Finland. Further help is now on think, be useful for me to say

its way." (Loud cheers)...

BALKAN DECISION" Mr. Chamberlain, referring to Balkan Entente conference

a little about the background

of the meeting and the gener-the

al impressions brought back and the decision to renew the En- with me from France.

VITAL BODY

tente for seven years, said: "This announcement indicates the deter

1 have indeed the impressionmination of the governments of that as the weeks go by the Coun-these countries to do everything in çil is steadily growing in impor-their tance and has become not merely stability and security of south-east power to maintain the a convenient means of harmonis-Europe. ing the views of the two Govern ments but a vital instrument in the successful prosecution of the wat.

41

"As M. Daladier said, the Council now conduct their busi- ness almost as if they were the cabinet of a single govern-"" ment.

"That is not to say that the Government of either country-has

NO CHANGE

no change in the military situation He went on to say that there was

"on the Western Front, In the air, wintry conditions had exposed men and material to the sternest test of adequacy. The strain on the Royal Air Force had been severe, but it had been borne without flinching

cheers).

AIR ATTACKS in any way surrendered its respon- Mr. Chamberlain then referred sibility, but that. an understanding to the U-boat sunk when trying has been resched which will prove to attack a convoy and to the three to be an essential factor, in the Nazi planes shot down on February eventual victory of the Allies. 4 and added: "We know that at

least one other was so badly dam

LASTING FRIENDSHIP

SHIPS LOST

"I have returned from Paris with aged that it was probably unable "On account of this method of the conviction that the bond be- to reach its base" war, Denmark has lost a number thing greater than even the close by Germany for this method of at- tween our two countries is some- The extent of successes claimed of ships, including some of her alliance which the common pur-tack bore no relation to the facts, best vessels, with a loss of about pose and the common danger have said the Premier. two-hundred lives.

ing friendship between the two British merchantman lost.

The facts are that in this raid, one Norwegian "It has become a deep and last-merchantman was sunk and no peoples. (Cheers).

cent speech said that England "An English politician, in a re-

The same cannot be said for the had not nunk any neutral ships counter-party.

enforced....

SMOKESCREEN FINNISH HEROISM

"These vauntings," said Mr. The Finnish people, Mr. Cham Chamberlain, “are ponred out like - "For us, in Denmark, It is berlam went on, continued their a smokescreen to conceal stories of completely incomprehensible that Germany is sinking on

heroic struggle against an enemy callous brutality as inhuman as who was using his huge air feet in any yet on record"af" an enemy" ships without warning. Even

a vain endeavour, to shake their (Hear, hear); ships in ballast are victimas spirit, by burning the homes of the "We have always shared with and their crews are not given poor, scattering with high explo-other civilised nations (cheers) the

■ chance to save themselves, sives hospitals full of wounded view that lightships because of the "The neutral are keeping up their trade as hitherto therzens with machine-guna. (Cheers), the scope of hostilities. In the case men, and pursuing defenceless citi- nature of their service are outside. have a right to do it and that. right ought to be frankly acknowledged.”

The success which hitherto had of British lightships, they are not attended the Finnish arm had even used to report the presence of evoked the admiration of the enemy craft in their vicinity.