BOLSHEVIZATION OF BALTIC

Southland Times, Issue 23946, 12 October 1939, Page 5

BOLSHEVIZATION OF BALTIC

Growing Anxiety In

Scandinavia

STRONGER SWEDISH DEFENCES URGED

(United Press Assn.— Telegraph Copyright) (Received October 11,' 11.55 p.m.)

LONDON, October 11.

Scandinavia is watching the bolshevization of the Baltic with growing anxiety, says a message from Stockholm. The Svenska Dagbladet, says that the war may bring communism to Germany. Scandaninavia emnhasizes the necessity for the effective strengthening of the Swedish defences, especially naval. The Copenhagen newspaper, Nationaltidende, similarly recognizes in the Russian advance, grave danger not merely to the Baltic States, but to the whole of Europe, including the Western Powers. British residents are leaving Finland, which is anxiously awaiting the attitude towards Moscow’s march. The Soviet demands are reported to include the rectification of the Finnish frontier on the Leningrad Isthmus and the right to establish a naval base at the White Sea port of Petsamo. Germany is continuing the evacuation of the Baltic States with such speed that the persons removed are allowed to take only clothes and no other property. Fourteen ships are at present engaged in the evacuation. The Rome wireless reflects Italy’s uneasiness. It is stated that either the Germans have given the Soviet a free hand or have been compelled to bow to the Russian expansion. The Rome correspondent of the Associated Press of America understands that Italy is doing her utmost to form a neutral bloc strong enough to withstand Russian demands. Reports from Bucharest indicate that Russia is proceeding with the ruthless communization of Polish territories. Trains filled with Polish Officials, army officers and families are proceeding to Siberia and other parts of the Soviet Empire where they will presumably be imprisoned. All property belonging to aristocratic families has been confiscated. The Tass news agency (Russian) announced that the Polish-Ukraine will elect a national assembly on October 22. The assembly will proceed to establish a Soviet organization, incorporating the Polish-Ukraine in the Ukrainian Soviet Republic. It will approve the confiscation of landed estates, and their redistribution among the peasantry. The official newspaper, Pravda, justifies the Lithuanian treaty on the ground that Poland seized Vilna by force. It recalls that only a Soviet threat to denounce the non-aggression treaty prevented Poland from invading Lithuania in the spring of 1938. SOVIET TROOPS MASS ON FINNISH FRONTIER NAVAL CONCENTRATION MOSCOW, October 10. The Soviet is pouring aeroplanes and troops into tne Baltic bases. An “armada” of battleships is concentrated at Kronstadt and hundreds of thousands of troops are massed on the Finnish border. All parties were represented at a remarkable demonstration at Helsinki station when M. Paasikivi, the Finnish delegate, left for Moscow, says a message from the Finnish capital. Huge crowds cheered wildly and then there was a tense pause and the crowds sang in Finnish and Swedish the national song of liberty. Helsinki begins black-outs tonight and the antiaircraft defences are manned. According to a Paris cable L’Ordre says: A Soviet-Finnish conflict would prevent Britain and France from respecting Soviet neutrality and would anger public opinion in Scandinavia and the United States.