FOREIGN LEGION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 29 January 1940, Page 5

FOREIGN LEGION

ITALIAN IN COMMAND HUNGARIANS JOINING HP (U.P A.—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright J LONDON, 27th January. An Italian has been appointed to command the first battalion of the Finnish Foreign Legion, as Italians predominate in the legion, which comprises soldiers from 11 nations, including Germans. It is reported from Berne that the second contingent of Hungarian volunteers, totalling 2000 men, with auxiliary units, crossed France and embarked for a Norwegian port, from which they will go overland via Sweden. At a Press conference in Washington on Friday President Roosevelt said that the Finnish Legation was doing nothing contrary to American law by answering questions by American citizens about joining the Finnish army. It was quite a different matter from the maintenance by a foreign nation of an enlistment service in the United States. Regarding reports that war material designed for Finland from neutral countries had been unduly delayed byj the British contraband control, it is! stated in authoritative circles in Lon-| don that the British Government hasj taken every step to ensure that no important supplies for Finland shall be) held up. An anonymous New Zealander in I London has given £SOO to the Finnish relief fund.

FUTURE OF SWEDEN

DEPENDS ON FATE OF FINLAND ’ DEFENCE PRECAUTIONS CONTINUING j [U.P.A.-By Electric Telegraph-Copyright] STOCKHOLM, 26th January. | The Foreign Minister, Mr Guenther, in an interview, said: “Finland’s cause jis also ours. It is no good trying to j eoncel this, because the future of | Sweden depends upon the fate of Fin--1 land. “The strengthening of the collaboration between Sweden and her Scandinavian neighbours is one of our principal endeavours. These countries must stand together in their efforts to maintain a neutral and independent position. Their history has taught the necessity for mutual support in political, economic and diplomatic spheres “This collaboration has no military meaning. It at present particularly refers to our plans for an exchange of! ! goods among the northern neutral coun-| j tries in order to overcome the trade difficulties resulting from the war.” Work is proceeding day and night in! Stockholm on the construction of air-1 raid shelters to accommodate 30.000 J persons. It is intended to provide 9000! shelters in the city, the largest of which ! will hold 4300. Aiti-aircraft batteries I are being mounted around the entire! city. * It is explained that these measures are necessitated as a result of the deterioration of the international j situation and to prevent Stockholm being taken by surprise. Extensive A.R.P ! tests are being carried out.

TO BE RE-OPENED

BELGIAN-GERMAN FRONTIER [U.P A.-By Electric Telegraph-Copyright) (Received 29th January, 9.35 a.m.) BRUSSELS. 28th January. The Belgian-German frontier is being rc-opened at several points, including i Eupen, thus restoring the pre-crisis i conditions. NOTHING TO REPORT J J [U P A.-By Electric Telegraph-Copyright) i « j 1 (Received 29th January. 935 a.m.) i PARIS, 28th January. A war communique for the fifth day j ’ says there is nothing to report. | ; A communique issued at Berlin states i there is nothing of importance to re- 1 ] port. J «