FATEFUL CONFERENCES

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 December 1939, Page 7

FATEFUL CONFERENCES

AT OSLO AND TALLINN

ATTITUDE TOWARDS FINLAND

[BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.]

LONDON, December 7. While Finland continues to resist the Russian steam-roller, the fate of the whole of Northern Europe rests in the hands of two conferences which are meeting, simultaneously in Oslo and m lalimn (the capital of Estonia). . , « ~ , , The Oslo conference consists of the Danish, Swedish and No - wegian Foreign Ministers. This conference is being held in despite of Russian warnings and also of Denmark’s declaration of stric lieUt T a he ty conferences are believed to be discussing the possibility of providing non-military assistance, for Finland, particularly through the League of Nations.

The Baltic States, Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia, are represented at the Tallinn conference. There is a host of alarming rumours and of unconfirmed reports, which provide an electric atmosphere.

tion *of the American people at Russia’s outrage, and their readiness to strengthen the hands of the Administration, in giving effect to Finland’s resistance. It has already been made clear that the South American States are no less determined to 'do everything in their power to prevent pe aggressor profiting by his aggression. In the Scandinavian countries, who are most-deeply and anxiously concerned. feeling grows hotter. Of much significance are the latest developments of opinion in Italy. Earlier demonstrations against Russia in Milan and Rome have been much more than endorsed. The “Daily- Herald” says:. Twentytwo years of social and political progress have given Finland highly-de-veloped democratic and co-operative institutions, and on her twenty-second birthday, her people are fighting to defend them. KING GUSTAV’S MESSAGE. HELSINKI, December 7. King Gustav has sent the following message to President Kallio: “Sweden has the warmest sympathy for Finland’s sorely-afflicted people. I confirm that Sweden’s warm feelings for a free Finland have been deepened year year by the growing and intimate northern collaboration.” 1 RELIEF OF DISTRESS. WASHINGTON, December 6. Senator James M. Mead will introduce a bill immediately Congress meets again authorising the Treasury to give the Red Cross the use, for the relief of Finnish distress, of Finland’s debt instalment to the United States of 234,693 dollars. MUNITIONS FOR FINLAND. ARRIVING FROM GERMANY. [BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.] (Received December 8, 10.30 a.m.) RUGBY. December 7. The interest displayed in the Press in Finland’s access to war materials in foriegn countries has been heightened by well-authenticated information that, as recently ds ten days ago, munitions were arriving in Finland from Germany. It is added that the rifles supplied included some seized by the Germans in Czechoslovakia, and that new rifles at a lower price have now been offered to Finland. It is stated that the Finnish Air Force has recently been strengthened by the arrival of Italian bombers, said to number 50.

One report says: Germany is insisting that Sweden shall revise her foreign policy, with a. view to entering into closer collaboration with the Reich. The Commander-in-Chief of the Estonian Army, General Laidoner, has hurriedly been summoned to Moscow, because of the Soviet being in a state of nervousness about Estonian sympathy for Finland. DEMAND ON ESTONIA COPENHAGEN, December 7. The “Berlinske Tidende” says: “The Soviet is demanding the immediate demobilisation of the Estonian Army in order to remove the possibility of a rear attack on the Russian Army. WARNING BY MOSCOW TO ITALY AND SWEDEN MOSCOW, December 6. The Moscow radio last night warned Itgly to keep out of the Russian-Fin-nish struggle. , . The announcer said: “Italy wants to turn Finland into a second Spain. She is Europe’s reactionary-in-chief, and wants to strangle the newly-created Finnish People’s Government just as she suppressed the People’s Government in Spain. We shall not tolerate such interference.” He added: “We also warn Sweden that she has no business to send detachments of so-called volunteers to Finland’s aid. Such support cannot prevent Finland’s liberation, but will gravely endanger Russian-Swedish relations.” RUSSIAN COMMUNIQUE BIG ADVANCES CLAIMED. (Recd. December 8, 12.30 p.m.) LONDON, December 7. The first comprehensive survey of the Russian General Staff’s plans is given in a Leningrad communique, which claims considerable advances. It states: “From the direction of Murmansk the Red troops advanced 20 miles south of Petsamo. In Petrozavodsk and Prozosero (possibly in the vicinity of Karelia) zones. Soviet troops advanced over the railway line between Nurmes and Oensuu, penetrating 40 miles. At the eastern section of the Karelian Isthmus the Finns Maginot-Kirke Line along the Vuoski water system has been broken by artillery, and the troops advancing northwards. At the western section of the Karelian Isthmus, the Soviet troops have occupied the town of Kiviniemi, and are reported to be on the railway line leading to Kexholm, also at stations on several railways leading to Wiipuri and also at villages on the coast of the Gulf of Finland.” These claims may mean that the Finnish defences on the eastern secto: of the Karelian Isthmus are broken, BREAK-THROUGH' DENIED HELSINKI, December 7. It is categorically denied here that the Russian troops have broken the Maginot-Kirke Line across the Karelian Isthmus.. RUSSIAN BASE BOMBED COPENHAGEN, . December 7. Finnish war-planes successfully bombed the Russian air base at the port of Baltiski, which was taken from Estonia as a result of the Russian-Es-tonian pact. . x The Finns are also persistently bombing the Russian defence lines at several points. Finnish airmen bombed Terjoki, from where the inhabitants had been evacuated. Terjoki is the seat of Finnish Puppet Government. It was taken by the Russians in their first thrust into Finland. SOVIET CONCENTRATION LONDON, December 7. The Rome radio states that 800,000 Soviet troops are concentrating for a big offensive against Finland. RUSSIANS USE POISON GAS HELSINKI, December 7. n is officially stated that the Russian artillery north of Lake Ladoga fired poison-gas shells against the Finnish batteries, causing several casualtie A total of 230 Finnish Americans some of whom have never seen Finland, have arrived to enlist. FINNISH ANNIVERSARY. BRITISH PRRSS TRIBUTES. (Received December 8. 11 a.m.) v ' RUGBY, December 7. The anniversary, yesterday, of the nr oclamation of Finland’s independence. is the subject of loading articles in several newspapers. The “D ail y Telegraph” says: FmJ kept the anniversary worthily, and the world also paid its tribute hy demonstrating something more than 1 ™nathv President. Roosevelt once took the occasion to emphasise ™ h °e m oS support which the United Is giving Finland, and his hope for the future, and proceeded to study with his advisers how material help food supplies could be sent to sus"in“he Finns in their struggle The Press leaves no doubt of the mdigna-

Meanwhile, the newspapers announce that war material for Finland is being obtained from British firms. It is reported that this material included 20 British 1 fighter aeroplanes, which are stated to be on their way to Finland.

ANGLO-RUSSIAN NEGOTIATIONS

% RUGBY, December 7. Mr. Butler announced, in the Commons; that the question of issuing a White Paper, setting out the exchange of views during the Anglo-Russian negotiations, was being reconsidered.