SOVIET CHARGES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 November 1941, Page 5

SOVIET CHARGES

FINLAND ACCUSED OF TREACHERY. SURVEY OF RECENT HISTORY. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) LONDON, November 18. Dealing with the Finnish reply to America, a special communique, which was issued in Moscow today, alleges that almost immediately after the signing of the Russian-Finnish peace in tfis autumn of 1940 Finland allowed several German divisions to enter Finland to prepare an attack on Russia in which Finland expressed her readiness to join. “This shows the Finnish rulers treachery toward both their own and the Russian people,” the statement says. “It wi l ! not be surprising, therefore, if the people of Europe and Russia deal with these gentlemen as they intend to deal with Hitler’s clique.” The statement denies that Russia presented new and unjustified demands on Finland after the conclusion of the Russian-Finnish peace or interfered in Finland’s internal affairs. It answers the assertion that Finland must be permanently on guard against

Russian imperialism by recalling that the Soviet Government recognised Finland’s independence’ which all the previous Russian Governments had refused to do. “Finland’s present disgraceful attitude confirms before the world’s eyes the Soviet’s well-founded -concern for the security of its north-western frontiers and the approaches to Leningrad,” the communique continues. “The American Assistant Secretary of State, Mr Welles, informed the Finnish Minister, M. Procope, on August 18 that Russia was willing to discuss peace, but instead of replying to this question, which is vital for Finland’s existence, Finland’s present rulers prattle about a so-called ‘defensive war’ in order to conceal from their own people the annexationist aims of their war against Russia and the true meaning of their alliance with Hitlerite imperialists.”

GERMAN REPORT

(Received This Day, 9.20 a.m.) LONDON, November 18. A Berlin communique claimed that the Luftwaffe devastatingly attacked fortifications and sank a large freighter in operations against Sebastopol. It continued: “In the Ddnetz basin we occupied further sections of the industrial area. Several goods trains, under steam, were captured by a surprise attack. “The Luftwaffe overnight attacked the Leningrad and Moscow aerodromes. “U-boats sank four merchantmen in the North Atlantic and the Northern Arctic.”