MOSCOW TALKS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 November 1939, Page 5

MOSCOW TALKS

RATHER MORE HOPEFUL OUTLOOK

But Finland Intensifying Defence Preparations

RUSSIAN TROOP CONCENTRATIONS ON KARELIAN FRONTIER

M. ERKKO SAYS ATTITUDE IS UNCHANGED

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.—Copyright.) The talks in Moscow between the Finnish and Russian delegations (a Daventry report states) are continuing m a more promising atmosphere. This was made clear yesten ay )t it Finnish Foreign Office, which said that the talks are proceeding amicably, and that fresh instructions have been iorwarded to the Finnish delegates. _ . . , The presence of M. Stalin at the discussions is icgai t in Helsinki as a hopeful sign. . The Prime Minister of Finland, Professor Capander in a broadcast yesterday asserted that Finland is prepared to delend herself in all. circumstances and is intensifying the necessait preparations (states a. Press Association message). The Rome Radio reports that 80,000 Soviet, troops have moved to the Karelian frontier of Finland. Moscow wireless announced that the sailors ol the bartie fleet have passed a. resolution declaring their readiness to “direct the fleet’s terrific guns against any enemy from whatever direction he may appear. We shall go into battle with reckless courage for our country, our father and friend, the great Stalin.’’

DECISION WITH SOVIET

On Saturday, when the talks had ended for the time being, the Finnish Foreign Minister, M. Erkko, in a statement, said that the Finns’ answer had been given to the Soviet leaders, on whom rested the decision as to whether further negotiations were worth while. He added that the delegation was remaining in Moscow to await instructions. “Our attitude is unchanged,” M. Erkko said. “Russia’s proposals would be offensive to us in peace time. We have accepted about two-thirds of them, but there is a limit to everything. “They asked for cession of, land north of Leningrad and islands in the Gulf of Finland, and a lease of land on the southern coast for a military base.” The Minister denied that other nations had influenced Finland and said that Russia must overcome her suspicions. Finland took her stand independently. Earlier the Government spokesman at Helsinki had declared that while Finland would reject territorial claims on the southern coast, any basis for further discussion would be considered. M. Erkko, in an interview with foreign correspondents at Helsinki, referring to the Russian reaction to the speech in which he called to the Finns to be ready to throw into the scale all they had, said that his speech had been mistranslated or misconstrued. He added that Finland had no aggressive intentions and had always shown hei’ desire to live in peace.

SITUATION VERY GRAVE. The "New York Times’” correspondent, Mr Gedye, in a message from Moscow on Friday, said it was undeniable that the Soviet Press had made the Russian-Finnish situation very grave. The present display of hostility to Finland was due to Soviet annoyance at the indications of foreign sympathy and support. Doubtless it desired to reduce the Finns to a proper humbleness. The first warning was M. Molotov’s speech which failed to shake the Finns’ determination. The second was given by “Pravda’s” article, which might imply a threat of military action, but more likely was intended to frighten the Swedes from supporting the Finns, thus destroying Scandinavian unity. It might presage a war of nerves designed to see the time Finland could support the burden consequent on the large proportion of her population mobilised. The immediate developments depended on the Swedish reaction to Russia’s open hostility, the correspondent commented.

FACTS WITHHELD FROM THE GERMAN PUBLIC. NO MENTION IN NEWSPAPERS. (Received This Day, 9.35 a.m.) BERLIN, November 5. , The German public is completely ignorant of the tense Russo-Finnish situation, no word of which has been mentioned in the papers.