RUSSIAN MENACE TO FINLAND

Southland Times, Issue 23945, 11 October 1939, Page 7

RUSSIAN MENACE TO FINLAND

Massing Of 700,000 Men Reported DEADLOCK WITH TURKS Soviet Version Of German Exodus From Baltic ' (United Press Association—Telegraph Copyright) (Received October 10, 10.40 p.m.) NEW YORK, October 10. Diplomatic advices received at Washington state that 700,000 Sdviet troops are massed within easy striking distance of the Finnish frontier. > Sweden and Finland are fortifying their frontiers. Sweden, as a precaution, is retaining with the Colours soldiers due for discharge on October 15. The deadlock in the negotiations between Russia and Turkey continues, says the Moscow correspondent of The New York Times. Well-informed circles declare that since the deadlock first occurred the Russians have concentrated 18 divisions on the Turkish frontier.

An unconfirmed report says that the Russians will increase the divisions going to Estonia to four; if similar forces, possibly reaching 120,000 men, gp to all three Baltic States, vastly outnumbering the national armies of these nations, it will put a very different complexion on the Soviet “security” aims.

According to the Soviet, the exodus of Germans from the Baltic States was not Germany’s idea, but was the result of a demand by the Soviet, which is determined that there must be no possibility of the future use of “oppressed German minorities” to justify an attempt to recover German influence in the Baltic.

The German minority in Estonia is hastening its departure to Germany as the Russians march in. Ninety per cent of Latvia’s 50,000 Germans are packing for departure to Germany; all businesses must be liquidated and only light luggage taken.