“PEACE” REPORT

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 January 1944, Page 5

“PEACE” REPORT

BRITISH OFFICIAL DENIAL

PROTEST TO MOSCOW

(Rec. 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, Jan. 18. The British Charge d’Affaires m Moscow to-day drew the attenuon of the Soviet Foreign Office to the official denial of the “Pravda peace report. The Moscow Associated Press correspondent says the British Foreign Office denial has not yet been ‘published in Moscow (but a later message says it was broadcast by the Moscow radio). • Ti a denial is published it will probably end tne affair as far as the Russians aie The correspondent adds Jhat the rumour will go down inhistoiy as one of the sensations and mysteries of the war. One burning question ?s wh? “Pravda” printed the rumour. It was not printed by accident Accidents like that do not happem The Soviet Press rumour nardly cieatea a friendly feeling, between the Russians and the British.

LONDON PRESS COMMENTS

LONDON, January 17. Referring to the “Pravda report of Anglo-German overtures lor a separate peace, the ’Daily, Telegraph” says: “II ‘Pravda s stay really started in Cairo, it undoubtedly ‘ originated from enemy agent.,. That they should even have troubled to start such an impossible story merely indicates the difficulties which Dr. Goebbels has been experiencing in a campaign i,o disunite tne A The “Daily Mail’s” diplomatic correspondent says: Because of wide circulation having later been given to Moscow “Pravda’s report by the Moscow radio, the British Government may consider it necessary to re-assert in the House of Commons its determination to abide by its agreements and never to make a separate peace. The “Daily Express political coirespondent says: The story appearing in “Pravda” has in various forms been going the rounds lor over a month, but it has been ignored as being too fantastic, ana as being obviously intended to make mischief between the Allies.. One suggestion is that “Pravda’ published the story to bring it into the open, so that it could be forcibly killed. U.S.A. ESTIMATE.

NEW YORK, January 18. The “Herald-Tribune’s” Washington correspondent says; The State Department is treating the Moscow paper “Pravda’s” report with moi. e than usual reserve, pending the arrival of information as to whether it is being taken seriously by Mr. Stalin, or has been published with his direct authorisation. The -‘Herald-Tribunes Washington correspondent stated: One high official here regarded the move in connection with Moscow “Pravda’s” report of separate peace overtures as being part of a Russian war of nerves against Germany. He expressed the opinion, .that the Russians were trying to convince the German people that their leaders were desperate for peace. The “New York Herald-Tribune," in an editorial, says: Moscow’s clumsy psychological manoeuvre follows the Russians’ rough rejection of the Polish offer to open negotiations through Britain and America. The “Herald-Tribune” points out: “Since the Polish offer is believed to have been made on the advice of the British Government, the inference is clear that Moscow, with none too clear a conscience over its altitude towards Poland, is trying to cover its position by finding a stick with which to best the British.”

RUSSIA AND POLAND

LONDON, January 17.

Referring to the Soviet reply to Poland on the frontier issue,- ‘I he Times’s” diplomatic correspondent says: The Polish Ambassador saw the Foreign Secretary, Mr. Eden to-day. There* is hope in London that the whole problem may be discussed privateiy to allow con ci .lint ory work to do its best, even. now. “The Timos’’ in a leading article, says: The Russian reply to the Polish declaration illustrates more forcibly than anything before the undesirability of conducting delicate negotiations by public declaration. There are other and less uncompromising methods, which are open to the parties; and those onlookers who have a . settlement most at heart will recognise.that the surest way of promoting it is to refrain from controversial comment, however well intentionecl it is.

have reformed his badly mauled tank divisions ready for another desperate effort. The next 48 hours may decide the battle. Meanwhile. .Soviet spearheads arc still thrusting westwords beyond the old frontier and are now approaching Rovno. The Russians are still making progress westward in the Kolenkovichi and Novo-Sokolniki area.

RETREAT BECOMING ROUT

(Recd. 12.30 p.m.) LONDON, June 18. Waves of Stormoviks turned the German retreat through the Pripet Marshes into a rout, .says the British United Press Moscow correspondent. Guerrillas in the Pripet Marshes are calling squadrons of fighters to points' where German resistance is stiffening. German columns moving westwards over a few distinct roads are providing ideal targets for low-level attack by Red Air Force planes. For miles along these highways there are burntout vehicles, dead horses and dead men. The Germans nowhere brought up sufficient air strength adequately to protect their forces. Stormoviks, unhampered, are destroying bridges in front of the Germans retreating from Mosir and Kilenkovishi. The Berlin radio’s military commentator, Col. Dietmar, said the High Command would have fully to employ its reserves to meet the onslaught.

“The Russians won’t hesitate to throw in the last man to achieve final success. There is nothing left for us but to meet the enemy’s strategy with the same ruthless exploitation of our reserves. Military history offers few examples of such drive towards a decision as we are witnessing in Russia. The perils and risks of such drive certainly don’t count so much with the Russains, who can rely on numerical superiority, and the Red Army’s abundance of manpower and material employed in the attempt to force a quick decision, and for the last few weeks it looked as if they have come rather near their goal. I always stressed the gravity of the situation effected through the Red Army’s breaches at Jitomir, Berdichev, Vinnitsa, Korosten. Novogradvolynsk and Sarni. The employment of German reserves opened up the' prospect of a turn in the situation. I use the words ‘opened up the prospect’ deliberately. I don’t say more.” Other German commentators are no move optimistic. The German News Agency’s reporter. Hallensleben, says: The battle between Lake ’ Ilmen and Leningrad is assuming larger proportions daily. The Russians south of Oranienbaum, after lighting all along the front, threw in tank-borne rifle divisions to effect a breakthrough. DEFENCES PENETRATED. Moscow correspondents point out that Vatutin. Koniev and Rokos- , sovsky are overcoming enormous

difficulties in supplying their armies before correlating their offensives. Red Army sappers are laying planks over half-frozen rivers, 'pouring water on the planks till there are layers of ice thick enough to bear the weight of tanks. Heavy tanks require an ice bridge 36 inches thick. A Moscow communique says: The Red Army on the Leningrad front, in the Oranienbaum area, several days ago launched an offensive and penetrated strongly fortified enemy defence lines constructed over a long period. The Russians are successfully developing the 'Offensive and are advancing. The Russians north of Novogorod several days ago also went over to the offensive and penetrated strongly fortified German defences. Successfully developing the offensive, the Red Army north of Sokolniki captured more than 40 inhabited places, including the railway station at Shubino, five miles north-north-west of Sokolniki. The Russians south-west of Novo°’rad Volynsk captured' Slavuta. 'which is a district centre of the KamenspocioiSK i egion, and n .irirge railwav station 13 miles north-west of Shepetovka.

Reuter says that the capture of cuts the German escape railway north-west of Shepetovka to Kowel, leaving only the OdessaLwow one through Jmerinka, and the smaller lines into Rumania’