THE WAR NEWS

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 59, Issue 4220, 6 December 1939, Page 7

THE WAR NEWS

SUMMARY OF THE SITUATION. SNOWSTORMS HALT ACTIVITY IN FINLAND. Radio and cabled news conveys the information thgt there has been a lull in the fighting in Finland owing to severe snowstorms, and all air activity has been reduced to a minimum. Besides appealing for the support of the League of Nations and of neutral countries, Finland is to make yet another attempt to placate Russia. The All Party Government is reported to be prepared to reach b. settlement providing it is compatible with Finland’s independence and vital interest®. Militarily, the Finns are showing little signs of weakness and none of demoralisation. Their armies are battling hard in the north, south and east. At the moment their greatest peril is a westward drive by Red invaders across the' ‘'waist” or narrowest part of Finland. If this succeeds tlie defenders of the Petsamo district, in the far north, will be cut off from headquarters. Though Red air raidsf in which females are reported to have 1 taken part, have been devastating enough in their effect on non-military objectives, it is plain that Russia is not yet using the full weight of this weapon. Instead, she is using it as a threat. If Finland does not capitulate, she says, Helsinki will be razed by 800 planes. Meanwhile, besides comparatively heavy casualties on land, the Russians have* lost 21 bombers. The gallant little Finnish air force has been reinforced by the arrival of 50 Italian machines—a pre-war order which the Fascist Government, significantly enough, allowed to go forward. Full evacuation of civilians from Finnish towns has been ordered. Reports from Helsinki indicate that political groups and workers are rallying round their Government. This is the most effective answer to the Soviet’s crude pretence that its “pact” with the group of renegades anti Finnish Reds in Terjoki represents a dealing with the Finnish people.

r' Italian antagonism toward Russia is reported to be increasing hourly in Rome, and indignation in Scandinavia is “in full flood.” Both Sweden and Norway are becoming increasingly apprehensive of the situation; particularly Sweden in view of the Nazi press attacks accusing her of encouraging Finland. Swedish conscripts are being called up. It is stated by the Moscow correspondent of the New York Times that foreign diplomats have been “surprised” by Scandinavia’s failure to support Finland more actively, believing that a firm Swedish-Norwegian stand would have prevented the attack. They also think, says the correspondent, that a hint of Scandinavia’s readiness to fight “might provide Russia with a welcome opportunity to escape from the affair creditably.” How in any circumstances the Soviet could escape from this affair “creditably” is difficult to imagine. Nor does the correspondent explain why diplomats should be surprised by a Swedish neutrality policy which has been proclaimed and reiterated from Stockholm up to as late as the end of last week. The Council of the League of Nations has been summoned to consider Finland’s position. From Washington it is reported that the American people are dissatisfied with the steps so far taken by the Government to show its disapproval of Russia. Diving low on Heligoland R.A.F. bombers have successfully attacked German warships. One, the Nazis admit, was sunk. Another R.A.F. exploit has been the destruction of a U-boat by a single bomb, the attacker being a Coastal Command reconnaissance machine. The Navy has accounted for at least one other U-boat in an operation, the details of which are yet to be announced. The Western Front is inactive, but it is believed that German bomber aeroplanes are being concentrated in the Rhine Valley and adjacent regions. If this means an attempt Io break the stalemate by massed air attacks, the long period of indecision is likely to cost the enemy dear. The Allied forces have had nearly three months of intensive organisation and preparation in Fiance. The Soviet Government has notified the League of Nations that it iwill not be represented at the meeting of the Council on Saturday when Finland’s appeal against Russian aggression will be considered. The Note from Russia claims that the hearing is not warranted, as Russia is not at war with Finland, nor does it threaten the people of Finland with war. The situation is peculiar, and makes for wonderment as to just where the League stands. It is to all practical intents, ineffective as afl instrument for preventing war. So many nations have withdrawn from the League that three only remain, Britain and France of the major Powers, plus a considerable number of countries that could give little or no weight to any show of force against Germany and Russia. It is feared that the liner Doric Star, bound from New Zealand and Australia via Capetown, for England, has been sunk by an enemy vessel in the South Atlantic, off the South African coast. One message conveys the impression that the Doric Star, was sunk by the German “pocket” battleship Admiral Scheer, a heavily armoured but rather slow Deisel-en-gined fighter that is believed to be ranging the waters of the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans. The Doric Star carried no passengers, but carried a of butter, cheese and meat Zealand and Australia, besides wool, tallow, canned meat and dried milk.

There ha,ve been anti-Russian demonstrations in Rome and other Italian cities, with evidence of strong support and sympathy for Finland in her trouble. I

Britain now has one and a-quarter million men under arms at present, and the number is (being increased every week. There are two and a-half million more men engaged in productive work than in 1914.

Many Americans are reported to be seeking enlistment in the special air training scheme being developed in Canada. The Australian Prime Minister has announced an increased scale of pay for men called to the colours.