A SUMMARY OF THE SITUATION

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 77, 23 December 1939, Page 12

A SUMMARY OF THE SITUATION

Finland, country of reindeer and traditional Christmas trees, faces a tragic season. Her army is battling on three fronts against an invader of great numerical superiority. Her settled areas in the north are being laid waste and her principal towns in the south are undergoing the ordeal of mass air bombing.

This dark picture is illumined only by an epic resistance against callous aggression. Once again on the southern front a heavy Red offensive lias been checked, if not broken. Once again dispatches from the central region speak of Russian reverses. A battle at Kuolajarvi, a town 50 miles from the eastern side of Finland’s waist, has ended with the invaders half-way back to the frontier they crossed three weeks ago.

Plainly, however, the forces of the republic cannot maintain this unequal struggle unaided. A small contingent of Swedish volunteers —the first to be organized in outer Scandinavia—is on its way eastward, but the real and urgent need is for war material. Finland needs field guns and ammunition; she needs fighter aeroplanes with which to challenge the swarms of Red bombers now droning over her frontiers.

Britain, France and the United States, as well as Scandinavia, are preparing to assist thb Finns in various ways and to varying extents. Much depends upon the rapidity with which consignments can be arranged and passed through, or flown over, the clumsy Rus sian blockade.

A move is afoot in Paris to induce the French Government to break off relations with Soviet Russia because of her unprovoked attack on Finland. A former Prime Minister, M. Flandin, is active in it and he has the support of a strong stetion of the Press. From Berlin Hitler has telegraphed birthday greetings to Stalin. The Red air force celebrated the dictator’s anniversary by wrecking two Helsinki hospitals. *****

News has reached London of the German intention to carry , the Siegfried fortified zone eastward along the Rhine to Lake Constance. Long before the war Hitler announced his intention of ringing the Reich with fortresses, and this extension of the “West Wall” may be nothing more or less significant than the completion of that policy. Nevertheless, it is strange that the building of a barrier along the border of neutral Switzerland should be undertaken at a time when the strengthening of the western line itself is a major winter task. * * * * *

Possibly as a result of the reports concerning France’s willingness to make concessions to Italy in the Mediterranean area, Signor Gayda.'the Italian semi-official publicist, is again making public reference to his country’s “claims.” He has described Italy as a prisoner in the Mediterranean because she has no control over the outlets from that sea.