FINLAND’S STAND

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23946, 23 October 1939, Page 7

FINLAND’S STAND

TALKS WITH SOVIET COUNTER-PROPOSALS READY FRONTIER AREAS CLOSED A DEFENCE LOAN PLANNED (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegrahp—Copyright) HELSINKI, Oct. 20. (Received Oct. 22, at 9.30 p.m.) The Finnish Foreign Minister (M. Passikivi) has left for Moscow. Finland is,issuing a defence loan of 500,000,000 marks. The frontier districts have been closed to travellers. M. Passikivi is taking definite counter-proposals to Moscow. “ Finland is resolved to go no further,” it was stated in Government circles. The Scandinavian and Finnish papers are all satisfied with the Stockholm conference. The Oslo Morgenbladet emphasises that the time was not found ripe for a peace appeal.

FATE OF ESTONIA A CLOSED COUNTRY SOVIET TROOPS MARCH IN HELSINKI. Oct. 21. (Received Oct. 22. at 7.30 p.m.) Estonia is practically a closed country. The only means of crossing the frontier is by air. The first Soviet troops have reached their quarters, but the main body is still marching towards Haapsalu. Communication with Estonians is not allowed. All the occupation districts are being evacuated. Fifteen Russian warships are in or near Tallinn Harbour. APPROACHES TO LENINGRAD MINED WASHINGTON, Oct. 20. American shipping has been warned that the Soviet has mined the approaches to Leningrad. SOVIET SUBMARINES LONDON, Oct. 20. It is understood that there is great Russian naval activity in the Baltic. Several Soviet submarines passed through the Kiel Canal. This has possibly no significance, as normally Russian warships go to the White Sea at this season. THE ROYAL OAK STORIES OF SINKING SURVIVORS REACH LONDON LONDON, Oct. 21. (Received Oct. 22, at 6.30 p.m.) Three hundred survivors of the sinking of the Royal Oak arrived in London wearing a motley array of clothes borrowed from sailors and fifehermen who were instrumental in their rescue. Armv officers and' orderlies met the party, and divided it into small groups, each of which was taken to hotels and restaurants. The luggage of the entire party was so meagre that it was loaded in a single truck. One of the officers said that scores of men actually did save comrades, but were rather quiet about the disaster and their part in it. A sailor said: “Thank God it was not a rough sea. I saw several near me lift up their hands and disappear. The oil on the water made our eyes feel as if they would burst, but we daren’t stop swimming to try and rub them.” An officer said that the Royal Oak overturned and plunged to the bottom within a-quarter of an hour. The adventure of the Royal Oak survivors did not end when they were rescued. They were involved in a train accident on the way south. The train crashed into a line of trucks but no one was injured. The survivors highly praised the courage and daring of the skipper of a drifter who lashed his boat to the sinking warship and picked up many men. An able seaman said that one of the crew of the drifter leaned over the water and pulled a sailor from the water like a man pulling in a big fish. The warship threatened to heel over and take the drifter with her, but somebody cut the lines and the drifter backed away as the warship plunged to the bottom. An officer said that there was no sign of panic and the men responded to orders immediately. FEAT ACCLAIMED U-BOAT’S CREW HONOURED LONDON, Oct. 21. (Received Oct. 22, at 10 p.m.) A message from Berlin states that the crews manned every ship in Kiel harbour as the U-boat which torpedoed the Royal Oak entered. Admiral Carls, commander-in-chief of the Baltic fleet, greeted the commander and crew, whom the Lord Mayor received at the Town Hall. GERMAN ACCUSATION PROTECTION FOR ALLIES’ SHIPPING NEW YORK, Oct. 22. (Received Oct. 22, at 7.30 p.m.) A German language official broadcast accused President Roosevelt’s submarine ban as being motivated to protect British and French arms shipments. POLISH TERRITORY PART TO BE RETURNED TO SLOVAKIA BERLIN, Oct. 22. (Received Oct. 22, at 7.30 p.m.) Hitler has promised to return to Slovakia the territory Slovakia lost to Poland. WAR RISK INSURANCES AMERICAN CHARGES NEW YORK. Oct. 20. (Received Oct. 21, at 8 p.m.) The war risk insurances on cargoes carried by belligerent ships to the Far East, Australia and New Zealand has been reduced from 3 to U per cent, via the Cape, and from 2 to 1-1 per cent, via Panama; but from Pacific Coast ports they have been increased from 1 to 1.1 per cent. Between North and South America, both on the Pacific and. Atlantic routes, they have been reduced from 3 to 1 per cent.