THE FINNISH ARMY

Patea Mail, 15 November 1939, Page 4

THE FINNISH ARMY

100,000 ON SKIS Dr. Halliday Sutherland, author of the best-selling books, “Arches ofeithe Tears’ and ‘A Time to Keep’, has, travelled extensively in Finland, and has recorded his impressions of that country in a recent boon, “Lapland Journey. ” “The Finns,” he said, “regard the Uuss'iuns as barbarians, or worse, and until the last able-bodied Finn is shot, Finland will never submit to Kussiau domination. “Finland has a highly trained, mobile army of 100,000 lit men. It is an army on skis. Every member of this army keeps his uniform in his home; nearby his rifle and ammunition are attached to his skis. “■The nnnv can be called to action instantly by wireless. “I have watched Finland’s Rimy Rt work. Every Sunday, from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m, the forests resound .with reports of rifle shots. The men in the army devote this time to war practice. They arc deadly shots. ” Dr. Sutherland said that every where he went, in Finland he found a warm friendship for Britain. Germany was feared and distrusted.”