ESTONIA TENSION

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20055, 29 September 1939, Page 7

ESTONIA TENSION

DEMANDS BY RUSSIA CONCESSIONS INDICATED PROVISION OF BASES CABINET RECONSTRUCTION (Reed. Sept. 29, 10 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 28. The Moscow correspondent of the New York Times reports yesterday that the Estonian Foreign Minister, M. Selter, after protesting against the violation of Estonian frontiers by Soviet planes, nevertheless decided to yield to the Soviet demands in view of the impossibility of obtaining help in resisting a Soviet invasion.

It was thought possible that the Soviet demands might not include the actual occupation of Tallinn, but the Soviet might be content with the installation of garrisons on certain Estonian islands commanding Tallinn, coupled with special privileges for the use of Tallinn as a port.

The Tallinn correspondent of Jhe New York Times says it is reported the Estonian delegates got a very cold reception at Moscow. Soviet Foreign Office subordinates informed M. Selter that a Russian ship was torpedoed on the borderline of Estonian and Russian waters. The correspondent states that the general belief in Tallinn is that Estonia was forced to accede to the Soviet demands.

A message received to-day from Copenhagen stated that Russian aeroplanes were reported to have flown over Tallinn persistently. It was rumoured that Estonia was prepared to agree to the Russian demand for bases on the Estonian coast.

A message dispatched to-day from Helsinki stated that the Soviet Navy was reported to be cruising in battle formation oil Estonia. A Russian radio broadcast vigorously attacked Estonia. It is believed that Moscow regarded the present Government of Estonia as “insufficiently friendly’’ towards the Soviet and that its reconstruction is possible.