BALTIC TENSION

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20065, 11 October 1939, Page 5

BALTIC TENSION

TROOPS OF SOVIET HINTS OF BIG FORCES FINLAND PRECAUTIONS BLACK-OUTS STARTING (Reed. Oct. 11, 9 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 10.. An unconfirmed report from Moscow states that the Russians will increase the divisions to Estonia to four. If similar forces, possibly reaching 120,000, go to the. three Baltic States, vastly outnumbering the national armies, it will put a very difference -Complexion on the Soviet security aim Diplomatic advices received in Washington yesterday stated that 700,000 Soviet troops were massed within easy striking distance of the Finnish frontier. A message from Helsinki states that all political parties were represented at a remarkable demonstration at the Helsinki station when the Finnish Minister, M. Paasikivi, left for Moscow. <.Huge crowds cheered wildly after which there was a tense pause. The crowds then sang in Finnish the Swedish national song of liberty. Helsinki commences blackouts to-night. The anti-aircraft defences are manned. Effect of Conflict The Paris paper L’Ordre says that a Russo-Finnish conflict would prevent Britain and France respecting the Soviet neutrality and would anger public opinion in Scandinavia 'and the United States. A message from Riga states that the Latvia Foreign Minister, M. Munters, said that the Russo-Latvian pact represcnied two countries who desired to maintain peace and the flatus quo in the Baltic. It stipulated that the sovereign rights of the parties would remain inviolable. It indicated mutual confidence, despite the differences in the regimes. The situation in the Baltic at present was unlikely to lead to war, but events were so incalculable that everything might rapidly change. A Paris message states it is reported by radio that Soviet troops are massing in the Caucasus, causing uneasiness to Iran and Afghanistan.