RUSSIAN OCCUPATION

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 65, 16 March 1940, Page 13

RUSSIAN OCCUPATION

CEDED AREAS IN FINLAND

GRAVE SOCIAL PROBLEMS FOR THE FINNS

DIET DEBATES THE TREATY

By Telegraph— Press Association.-r-Copyright.)

(Received March 16, 11.30 a.m.)

LONDON, March 15.

A broadcast from the Finnish wireless station late this afternoon stated that the Finnish Diet was debating the treaty with Russia, and that President Kallio had proposed that the treaty be ratified. ' '"• ' , Since early this morning the Finnish army has been withdrawing over a zig-zag front of 200 miles in south-east Finland in accordance with the terras of the Russian peace.. As soon as the Finns had withdrawn about 4| miles the Russians began to advance into the evacuated territory. One of the first places entered by the Russians was "Wiborg. , "West of "Wiborg the Finns have not far to go to reach the.new frontier, but at the other end of the Mannerheim Line the Finns mus^ coyer more than 60 miles to the 'new lines. The area surrendered to the Soviet totals about 19,000 : square miles, and had a population of just under 500,000. Of * these, 400,000 were removed to places of safety, leaving 100,000 who are now following. It is stated that the Finnish Government is trying to keep friends and/ neighbours together in their new homes, but it is pointed out that there are very grave social problems ahead. Speaking in reference to the refusal of Norway and Sweden to allow the passage of British and French troops to help Finland, the Speaker of the Finnish Parliament said: "We were forced to realise the bitter fact that our western neighbours were prevented by armed force from sending armed help to us." As late as midnight last Monday Finland made a ;fiilal appeal to Norway and Sweden to allow the> passage of Allied troops, and Norway again refused. ' < ■...■ (Received March 16, 9 a.m.) HELSINKI, March 15. ; Soviet troops have occupied Wiborg, from which civilians, under the leadership of the town councillors,, for the past three days have been removing furniture from homes and supplies from shops, leaving only a shell-scarred and empty city. It is estimated that 15,000 cattle, horses, and pigs will be evacuated from the area west of Ladoga. As far as possible, villagers are being kept together and evacuated from one village to another across the new border. Columns of lorries miles long are transporting 8000 people and their possessions from Hanko into the interior of Finland. The evacuation proceeded all last night.