RELIEF FOR FINNS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 57, 5 September 1944, Page 5

RELIEF FOR FINNS

HOSTILITIES CEASE

GERMANS PROMISE TO LEAVE (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.) LONDON, September 4. It is officially announced from Helsinki that the Russian-Finnish armistice began at 8 a.m. today. Field-Marshal Mannerheim, in a communique today, stated: "Under the terms of an agreement between the Finnish and Russian Governments hostilities on the Finnish front wjll cease at 8 a.m. today. The President and Commander has issued orders to this effect." • * : The Helsinki correspondent of the Associated. Press of America says that Mannerheim's expected order came a few hours afte,r the Finnish Government officially broke, off diplomatic relations with Germany. The order spread swiftly among the weary troops. There were scarcely any expressions of joy among the people of Helsinki as they got the news on their way to work this morning, but the majority gave signs of relief, and declared, "Thank God." The formal negotiations for armistice terms will not be opened till after September 15. the deadline for the withdrawal of the German forces in, Finland Moscow radio, broadcasting a statement from the Russian Foreign Commissariat, said: "Russia, as a preliminary condition for the reception of the Finnish armistice delegation, demanded that the Finns break off relations with Germany and arrange for the withdrawal of German troops from. Finland by September 15, their transfer to the Allies as war prisoners if the Germans failed to leave within the prescribed time. The Red Army is prepared to assist in disarming them. "Finland, in her request on August 25 for the reception of the .armistice delegation expressed willingness to break diplomatic relations with Berlin. Russia agreed to suspend military operations on the southern part of the Finnish front if the Finns carried out the Russian conditions. Russia expressed the view that all other questions must be settled during the armistice negotiations." General Rendulic, commander-in-chief of the German forces in Finland, has assured Field-Marshal Mannerheim that ttie Germans will withdraw without incident before September 15. states Reuters Stockholm" correspondent, quoting a "reliable source." Th« German strength in Finland- is estimated at 160,000.