SUMMA SECTOR

Evening Star, Issue 23501, 15 February 1940, Page 11

SUMMA SECTOR

SOVIET SUCCESSES ADMITTED mum LOSE HEAVILY HELSINKI, February 14. (Heceived February 15, at noon.) A Finnish communique admits some Soviet successes on the Summa sector, bit says the attacks elsewhere were repulsed'and the invaders suffered iiyA Moscow communique says the Rpd 'Army captured another 23 fortified positions,' making a total of 79. . A Inter message states that furi•ui fighting continues along the Mannerheim Line. The situation at Summa is still serious. The Finns are holding all vital points. Forty planes dropped 250 bombs on Porvoo yesterday, destroying 15 buildings and damaging scores of others. ALLEGATIONS AGAINST , RUSSIANS VIM.ATIONS »F INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS HELSINKI, February 14. (Befceived February 15, at 12.30 p.m.) M. Tanner is sending a Note to all foreign Governments detailing alleged Haitian violations of international conventions on the conduct of war, including the use of poison gas and explosive bullete against civilians, terrorisation of open towns, bombing of hospitals, and the use of prisoners of war and civilians as shields for Soviet infantry. The Note states that Finland has not taken reprisals because she does not want to make the chances of peace difficult. The Note Emphasises Finland’s repeated overtures for the establishment of a just peace, and the Russian’s haughty rejection of them.

BRITISH VOLUNTEERS NO OFFICIAL RESTRICTIONS GIVERNRRNT'S ATTITUDE CLEARLY , DEFINED (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, February 14. (Received February 15, at noon.) Sir John Anderson was asked in the House of Commons whether he was aware an organisation was at work in London for the purpose of enabling volunteers to proceed to Finland, and whether the Foreign Enlistment Act of 1870 made it illegal for any British subject to take service in the forces of a foreign State engaged in war-like operations with a friendly State. Th« Under-Secretary for the Home Office replied: “ Britain has carefully considered this matter in the light of the resolution passed by the League of Nations on December 14, on the subject of the provision of assistance for Finland, it would, in Britain’s view, be inconsistent with the spirit and terras of that resolution that British subjects who wish to volunteer for service with Finland should be hindered by the provisions of the Foreign Enlistment Act, seeing that that Act contains power to grant dispensations. Accordingly, a general license has been granted to British subjects to enlist with the Finnish forces, and a license has been granted to a recruiting organisation which has been established in London.” RUSSIA AND BULGARIA TRADE AGREEMENT RATIFIED SOFIA, February 14. (Received February 15, at 8 a.m.) The Rnssian-Bulgnrian trade agreement has been ratified. HUNGARY AND RUMANIA BITTER PRESS CAMPAIGN BUDAPEST. February 14. The bitter Press campaign between Hungary and Rumania is intensifying. It is hoped that the visit of M. Sirorovici, a member of the Rumanian Cabinet, to Rome might result in Italian mediation.