WAR GOES ON

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23602, 11 March 1940, Page 7

WAR GOES ON

RUSSIAN ATTACKS ISLANDS TAKEN BATTLE AT VIIPUKI FOOTHOLD ON SHORE By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright (Received March 10, 10.15 p.m.) LONDON, March 10 The Finnish Army carries on regardless of peace moves, says a message from Helsinki. It is reliably estimated that the Russians lost a further 1000 men and much material in attempts to advance across the ice of the Gulf of Finland. The Finnish Air Force is proving invaluable in frustrating these attacks over the ice, which is still three feet thick and covered with a foot of snow. Shore artillery breaks the ice behind the attacking force, while aeroplanes bomb the ice whero the guns are ineffective. A Finnish communique admits that the Red Army secured a restricted foothold on the north-west shore of Viipuri Bay and captured several islands. It says the Russian attacks south-east of Viipuri were checked. All attacks on the centre and eastern part of the isthmus were repulsed. The enemy suffered heavy casualties. The Finns re-took a number of strong points at Kuhmo and made prisoner 125 Russians. They also captured a considerable amount of booty. A Moscow communique says the Russians occupied the village of Rapola, north-east of Viipuri, on the railway to Sortavala, also two islands and the villages of Karpila and Ruhela, on the west coast of Viipuri Bay. Soviet aeroplanes attacked troops and military objectives, shooting down five Finnish aeroplanes. Marshal Voroshiloff has ordered the mobilisation of men in Northern Russia up to the age of 35, says a message from Tallinn, Estonia.

ESPIONAGE DANGER NETHERLANDS PRECAUTION MARTIAL LAW EXTENDED (Received March 10, 5.5 p.m.) THE HAGUE, March 0 The Netherlands Minister of Defence stated in Parliament that a Royal Decree is being prepared to extend martial law and the state of seige to the greater part of the Netherlands. This extension, he said, was because of the dangers of espionage. It would be extended to the whole country if necessary.

CHANGE OF ATTITUDE HITLER AND BOLSHEVISM (Received March 10, 7.42 p.m.) British Wireless LONDON, March 9 The Manchester Guardian recalls the fact that, on April 28, 1939, Hitler, speaking in the Reichstag in reference to Germany's part in General Franco's victory in Spain, said: "If the subhuman forces of Bolshevism had proved victorious in Spain they might easily have spread across the whole of Europe." The Guardian adds without comment: "Last week it was announced that a section for Soviet studies had been opened in Berlin University under the direction of a Caucasian, with a library of 120,000 books, and that arrangements had been made for an exchange of students and teaching staffs between Berlin and Moscow."

COST OF LIVING ITALY RAISES PAY RATES (Received March 10, 5.5 p.m.) ROME, March 9 The committee of the Central Corporation, presided over by Signor Mussolini, hns ordered a general 10 to 15 per cent increase in wages and salaries to meet the rising cost of living. KING VISITS SOLDIERS (Received March 10, 6.5 p.m.) British Wireless LONDON, March 9 The King yesterday visited the Chelsea Barracks and inspected certain military units. BLACK-OUTS IN PRAGUE (Received March 10, 7.50 p.m.) PRAGrUE, March 10 Presumably owing to the recent visit of British aircraft, black-outs are to bo enforced in Prague from 10.40 p.m. to 2 a.m., and the broadcasting station lias been closed down.