GERMANY PREPARES

Grey River Argus, 5 January 1940, Page 7

GERMANY PREPARES

TO AID RUSSIA Against Finland NEW ALLIED MOVES REPORTED . fAust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] (Received January 4, 9.50 p.m.) BERLIN,. January 4. The German press, for the first time, has now acquainted the public of the fact that Germany might be involved in a conflict over Finland. The press has prepared the way for more active German support of Russia. . The newspapers approvingly reprint the Russian accusation ’ that Britain and France are now attempting to widen the war, for which reason they have encouraged Finland to fight. The German press also records that there are great concentrations of British and French troops in Western Asia. The papers record further that there are French demands to send a fleet to the Black Sea, and an army to Finland. Reports are also published that France has offered to send ten thousand crack Alpine troops to Finland. Authoritative quarters in Germany have told neutral correspondents that Germany, would be forced to take an active hand if British and French troops went to Finland, and that Germany would consider Sweden and Norway to be infringing their neutrality if they allowed the passage of British or French men and munitions to Finland.

AFGHAN FRONT. • REPORTS NOT CREDITED. RUGBY, January 3. Official circles attach no credence whatever to the rumours given out in certain foreign broadcasts of Russian troops concentrations on the borders of Afgnanistam The Afghan Government has officially denied that- there has -been any mobilisation of its forces. Nothing whatever is known of any mobilisation in Iran.