Earlier Messages

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 307, 29 December 1939, Page 7

Earlier Messages

Finns Standing Fast SOVIET PUBLIC RESTIVE AS TRUTH FILTERS THROUGH United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, Dec. 27. Russian bombers to-day vigorously attacked several strategic points in Fini land, with the result that 12 bombers twice raided the munitions centre of Tampere and dropped 50 bombs. Only one person was killed and one wounded. Several houses were destroyed. A squadron similarly attacked Turku, in South-West Finland. Most of the bombs fell into the water. Six planes raided Viborg (Wiipuri), but the results are not known. The Red Army has been hurled back, but it is regathering its strength in the hope of smashing the Manuerheim Line, between Lake Ladoga and the Gulf of Finland. The Finns have repulsed three assaults in 24 hours, but the conflict continues to rage. To-day's Finnish communique refers to heavy gunfire and records the capture of eight tanks and some Germanmade ammunition. Heavy snowlhas halted the Russian offensive at Petsamo, in the extreme north. Tho Moscow correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain says that Russia is calling up more men. Tho Daily Telegraph’s correspondent at Moscow says that a Russian communique briefly reports tho assaults on tho Manuerheim Line on Boxing Day as petty skirmishes, and tho widespread bombiug of South Finland as reconnaissance flights. Everything, he says, is being done to induce the Russian public to forget that tho flower of their forces are concentrated against Finland. This Soviet conspiracy of silence is 1 futile, and, despite the demonstrations which attended Stalin’s birthday and the elections, there is secret tension due to tho fact that the public arc learning of tho ghastly casualties in what was originally represented as a mere manhunt of Finnish policemen and White partisans by an overwhelming Red force.