ITALY OPPOSED TO BOLSHEVISM

Southland Times, Issue 24014, 3 January 1940, Page 7

ITALY OPPOSED TO BOLSHEVISM

(Received January 2, 11.40 p.m.) ROME, January 2.

“Signor Mussolini’s policy has not deviated a hair’s breath, especially where Bolshevism is concerned,” declares II Relazioni Internationale, the Italian Foreign Office’s organ, reviewing Italy’s policy in the latter part of 1939. The journal adds: “The three great Mediterranean peninsulas, namely, the Italian, Spanish and Danubian-Balkan, are bound by a common civilization and destiny. If Bolshevism penetrated any one of them the whole Mediterranean would be endangered. Italy will never allow Bolshevism to cross the Carpathians.”

Year broadcast, announced that the Russians would soon meet detachments of foreign volunteers. The Swedish radio stated that 50,000 Russian troops were massed at Leningrad for Karelia. The Finnish tactics which overcame the Russians at Kiantajarvi consisted in surrounding and starving them out, preparatory to annihilation in spite of inferior numbers and equipment. The Russians, who hoped to drive through to the Gulf of Bothnia in order to break Finland’s military backbone, blundered into the area between the arms of Lake Kianta. They could have fought their way out in normal weather, but the Finns isolated them, cut off their supplies and left exposure and lack of food to their deadly work. They then attacked on the tenth day. The Russians resisted for three days but it was all over on the fourth. Thousands of the invaders were slaughtered. Few of the survivors were strong enough to stand. FINLAND RELIES ON AID ASSURANCE OF SUPPORT OF CIVILIZED NATIONS HELSINKI, January 1. M. Ryosto Ryti, Prime Minister <( of Finland, in a statement declared: “If Finland is left to her own resources the task will be too great, but from what has happened I know _ now that the civilized nations are with us. I know that assistance will come on a sufficient scale and in time.” M. Ryti paid a tribute to help given by Sweden. GERMANY’S FORMER COLONIES ALLIES HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE BERLIN, January 1. It has been officially stated that Germany will hold Britain, France, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa responsible for damage to the former Germany colonies arising from the war. It is pointed out that Powers are obliged by the terms of the mandate to maintain neutrality in the territories. The German wireless admits that the blockade has deprived Germany of coffee, cocoa, jute and rubber, but adds that substitutes are available. “Germany’s peacetime economy was drilled for war requirements, her people were educated to become true socialists, hence the marvellous start in 1939,” it is stated. “Britons, who served the interests of a few individuals, were therefore no match for Germans.”