A SUMMARY OF THE SITUATION

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 69, 14 December 1939, Page 10

A SUMMARY OF THE SITUATION

Fighting in Finland is becoming fiercer. Reports of its progress are conflicting, but give the impression that the Russians are making small advances at considerable cost. Here and there the invaders are being severely harassed by Finnish guerrillas, and the defending air force is continuing its forays against enemy positions.

Tlie immediate future, however, holds ominous possibilities. The Red army command is said to be assembling a force of 1,500,000 men on the frontier and bringing up 1000 aeroplanes. An offensive on such a scale as this would be likely to succeed by sheer weight of. numbers.

Finland’s weak spot is her “waist”—the central area, lhe average width of which is no more than 150 miles. Already the Russians have penetrated the best part of a third of this distance, and a late message by radio states that the Finns in this area are falling back..

The latest diplomatic trends are not encouraging to Finland. Sweden has completed a Cabinet reshuffle “on lines of strict neutrality,” and Germany has. come out openly in support of Russia by taking steps to hold up, as far as she is able, all neutral supplies to the beleaguered northern republic.

The .Soviet Government has refused the request of the League of Nations for a truce, harking back to M. Molotov’s argument that Russia is not at war with Finland because she has concluded a pact with a Finnish people’s government. This answer has surprised no one.

At the moment of writing the League is debating its next move. Argentina is expected to press for Russia’s expulsion, but the conflict of interests among member nations may prevent this. In any case, Russia is likely to leave the League.

It is pointed out that the real problem confronting the League and the European Powers which support its ideals is that of the aggressor spirit fostered by Nazism. ■ “The root of the trouble. ’ says the London “Daily Telegraph." “is not in Moscow but in Berlin. Sever that root and the offshoots will wither.”

Signor Gayda, the semi-official Italian publicist, in a broadcast address has again raised the issue of colonics and referred to the claims against France. * * * * *

A sudden burst of activity is reported from the Western Front. The French have created a salient six miles wide, and intense fighting is proceeding on its outpost line. The position of .the salient is not given, but another message refers to activity in the \\ arndt Forest area (on the south-western fringe of the Saar). *****

The British Air Minister, Sir Kingsley Wood, has reviewed It.A.F. operations with quiet optimism. His statement confirms report that, machine for machine, the Allied forces have been proved superior.