FINLAND’S STAND

Grey River Argus, 16 September 1941, Page 5

FINLAND’S STAND

A PLAIN STATEMENT Defence of Frontiers Only [Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] (Rec 85) LONDON. Sept. 14. A denial that Finland has begun anv peace talks has been made by th<T Finnish Minister of Trade and Industry. Mi Tanner. Speaking Helsinki, M. Tanner said: There is not the slightest aoubt Russia will be defeated. Therefore a Russian-Fin-nish peace would mean nothing. "Finland cannot have the slightest confidence in the present rulers oi the Kremlin. Finland had nevei wanted any war-iike adventures. She had been led. bj force, into war. Finland has only by accident become comrades in aims with Germany. Finland’s war is solely Finland’s concern We have not been a party to the Great War. We do not wish to become involved in a trial of strength between the great Powers. “Finland has taken back her own from Russia, with interest; but for the both parties their two wars have been bad business. “Thus far, Finland’s aims have been purely military. Now that our frontiers have largely been restored, our aims are becoming political. We obviously cannot, at present, announce whether we intend to cease fighting or to advance further. When our 'frontiers are secure, our task shall be ended, but our frontiers are still militarily insecure. NEAR A CLIMAX London Opinion RUGBY, September 14. Military commentators in London express the view that, in the next few days and weeks, the Germans will do their utmost to capture Leningrad and Odessa, which they have invested and Kiev, which is gravely threatened by the German thrust south-east from Gomel. It is pointed out that, since the war cannot now terminate before Winter sets in, it is essential to the Germans to be in possession of these cities, and, if possible, Moscow, in order to billet .troops. To leave them in the open i fields' and forests through the snow and intense ccld of the Russian Winter would cause, to say the least, severe hardships, and might prove disastrous.

Another compelling reason for the capture of these cities is the reported growing disquiet in Germany. Great advances have been achieved, but the Russian resistance has palpablv not been anywhere destroyed, and solid indisputable victories are needed by the Germans. Von Leeb is thus reported as having ordered his forces attacking Leningrad, that the city must be captured in the next few days, regardless cf losses, io capture by frontal attack a city or the size and known strength of Leningrad, however, could be achieved only at a formidable price. Odessa, too, has been holding out for some four weeks now, and there is no indication that its power to resist has been in any way destroyed. The Germans, however, have succeeded in pushing forward some 500 miles into Russia along the whole front, occupying an area larger than that of Greater Germany Leningrad and Kiev are both directly and gravely threatened. Nor are there anv signs that the German war ma-' chine has lost any of its drive or hitting power, and at least one of rhe thrusts the Germans are now launch-ing—south-east' from Gomel through the recently captured town of Chernigov—is considered by competent observers in London to be of considerable danger. ... The fighting on the Eastern Iront as a whole is regarded by informed commentators in London as having reached something of a climax and they are inclined to the belief that the’ new few weeks may well prove the most critical of the war so far. The losses suffered by both sides are undoubtedly enormous and the loss to the Soviet of the important industrial area of the western Ukraine will at least to some extent reduce Russia's power of replacing her losses in equipment. The latest Russian communique gives no details of the lighting.

BRITISH - AID FOR RUSSIA. 8.0.W. RUGBY, September 14. The First Lord of the Admiralty • (Mr A. V. Alexander), speaking at Nottingham, said: “The policy of the . Government .with regard to Russia : has been stated_ by the Prime Minister without the slightest ambiguity, and has the full, and Joyal support of every membei’ of the Government. In a nutshell, it is that Russia is our ally in.the fight against Nazism, and we will give her every possible form of .assistance we can. without any stint or reservation. To give this assistance to Russia means increasing our production drive, and also denuding ourselves of some of the' fruits of that drive. W e will do so gladly, because tlw cause is common and single, and what we do for Russia is done for the cause and so for ourselves . Speaking for the Admiralty I say that we will spare no effort which wp can make on behalf of Russia, having in mind our strength and other tasks I have mentioned. And let me tell you that there are many ways in which naval, help can be and is being given to Russia; but I am not going to help the enemy by going into details of what ino’ done. I know that I speak" for all’ of us when I sav that words are but feeble things with which to express our admiration of the resistance which thf? Russians ar P offering in what is truly a Titanic battle. M. Stalin calls upon them for no sacrifice which thev do not make to their utmost. Their lives and their possessions are all thrown into the 1 defence of their soil. It will, perhaps, be hard for us to realise what ! the great power-station at Dniepertrovsk meant to the Russian peasants and workers. It was to them not i only a source of light and heat and! power—it was a symbol of Russia’s emancipation from the era of stagnation. and her emergence into the ■ modern world of progress. The destruction of these outward and visible signs of the inward and spiritual change must have been agony to them, vet there’ was no flinching and that mightv work crashed into ruin, that Russia mav survive and live and build yet mightier works. We can draw m- ' sniration from the deeds of the Rus- | sian armies, but so can thev draw | inspiration from the struggle whicl Iwe have waged alone for over a year." FARIV DEFEAT OF RUSSIA PREDICTION OF german MILITARIST. (Poe. 11 30) ’ TOKIO. Sent. 15. Colonel Alfred Kretschmer, German ' Militarv Attache, addressee the Jan- ■ Patriotic Organisation. He said. ; “German” will defeat Russ'a in a tew “ week«. She will then turn her energies to the onnt.lire nf Britain.’

Threat to Kiev GERMANS ATTACK IN SOUTH. LONDON, September 14. Kiev is gravely menaced by a German thrust from Gomel in a south-east direction. London military observers consider the Germans will now endeavour to capture Kiev A statement in one of the Russian communiques that Chernigov has been evacuated is felt in authoritative circles to show that the extremely dangerous German thrust southeast from the Gomel area has made considerable progress. If carried further, this German move would constitute a very grave threat to Kiev itself and the whole of the Dnieper defences. In the northern Ukraine, heavy fighting has developed in the sector north and north-east of Kiev. Tne enemy’s strategy would appear to oe to drive south-eastwards to turn the Dnieper defences and envelop the Russian forces based on the KievKharkov axis. In the southern Ukraine, stubborn Russian resistance has held up the enemy at Dniepropetrovsk, but the Germans would appear to have. forced a crossing of tne Dnieper River considerably further south. This development would constitute a threat to the road communications between the Crimea and the Ukraine. KIEV OPERATIONS. LACK OF NEWS. (Rec. 9.10). LONDON, Sept. 14. i There is a dearth of news concerning the fighting for Kiev. It is not known whether the Germans have been ablp to make any substantial progress beyond Chernigov. If they did so it would seriously threaten Kiev from, the east. A Russian Retreat ON THE DNIEPER. (Bee. 9.10). LONDON, Sept. 14. A Moscow communique states: “After many days of hard fighting, our forces have evacuated Kremechug.’’ Kremechug is situated on the Dnieper River about 165 miles south-east of Kiev. Will Kiev be Encircled ? Enemy’s Gain OVER LOWER DNIEPER

LONDON, Sept. 15. While the battle for Leningrad still dominates the Russo-German war m Western thoughts, Moscow this morning gave news of the withdrawal of the Russians from the big industrial town of Kermenchug. This claims attention. This move, besides, of course, indicating that the Germans have now crossed the Lower Dnieper River greatly increases the danger of the complete encirclement of Kiev by the Germans. This danger had already been accentuated by the Russian retirement from Chernigov. Kiev city, however, stands stilt fast. It is ringed by powerful fortifications, with a big belt of swamp country forming a natural barrier to its north-eastern approaches. These are now made treacherous by heavy rains. Marshal Budenny may yet sacrifice Kiev so as to save one hundred thousand troops who are there, and also to keen his front intact. In the meantime, it is imperative that the Russians should hold the banks of the Dnieper River as long as they oossi'cly can, so as to delay the destruction by the enemy of the valuable industries located in the Don River basin. Finnish Fronts - NEW MOVES. AGAINST RUSSIAN KARELIA AND MURMANSK.

(Rec. 8.30). LONDON, Sept. J 4 A puzzling report has reached Vichy, from Helsinki, the Finnish capital. It says: Marshal Mannerheim, Finnish ' Commander-in-Chief. has now transferred most of his troops from the Karelian Isthmus, lc northwards of Lake Ladoga. The purpose of this move, which would remove a Finnish threat to Leningrad from the north, is stated to be to facilitate the conquest of Russian Karelia, which Marshal Mannerheim has promised to Finland. . , Marshal Mannerheim is reported .personally to have taken charge oi the operations. The Finns have claimed to have cut the Leningrad-MurmansK railway, where it touches the Svir river. Finnish forces are stated to be now advancing towards Petrozavodsk, on the west shore of Lake Onega, '. . . - German ' and Finnish reinforcements are believed to have been introduced into the Salla region, where .intense fighting has been resumed for Kandalaksha _ In the extreme north the Germans are now attacking north-east of Petsamo Their object is die driving of the Russians from tne Ribach and the Ribach Peninsula