IN THE BALANCE

Evening Star, Issue 23444, 8 December 1939, Page 7

IN THE BALANCE

Fate of Northern Europe

TWO MOMENTOUS CONFERENCES / An Electric Atmosphere Preis Aisooiation—By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, December 7. (Received December 8, at 8 a.m.) While Finland continues to resist the Russian steamroller, the fate of the whole of northern Europe rests in the hands of two conferences meeting simultaneously at Oslo and Tallinn. The Oslo conference consists of the Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian Foreign Ministers and, despite Russian warnings concerning Denmark’s declaration of strict neutrality, they are believed to be discussing the possibility of non-military assistance ter Finland, particularly through the League of Nations. A host of alarming rumours and unconfirmed reports provide an electric atmosphere. One report says Germany is insisting that Sweden should revise her foreign policy with a view to closer collaboration with the Reich. Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia are represented at Tallinn. The commander-in-chief of the Estonian army, General Laidoner, was hurriedly summoned to Moscow because of Soviet nervousness about Estonian sympathy for FinlandA message from Copenhagen states that the ‘ Berlinske ' Tidende ' says the Soviet fs demanding immediate demobilisation of the Estonian army in Order to remove the possibility of a rear attack on the Russian army.