RUSSIAN TACTICS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 December 1939, Page 5

RUSSIAN TACTICS

FALSIFICATING OF NEWS EXPOSED BY CORRESPONDENT. THE SO-CALLED “PEOPLE'S GOVERNMENT.” Gy Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. NEW YORK, December 3. The Moscow correspondent of the "New York Times,” Mr Geclye, bitterly and satirically reviews tiie Russian Press and radio reports of the formation of the “Finnish people's government,” which is almost the only news of the invasion given to the Russians. A programme for Finland is alleged to be broadcast from a Finnish radio, but the whereabouts of the station is left to the imagination. Despite this transparent fiction, tlie programme is most important as revealing the Soviet’s. plans for Finland and doubtless many other countries. Mr Geclye states that Terijoki, where the “government” has been established, is an insignificant seaside village of 2009 inhabitants just within the Finnish frontier. He adds that this association of persons on lhe outermost fringe of Finland under the protection of the invading armies is dignified by lhe imposing title of the “People's Government of the Finnish Democratic Republic.” By what democratic process the Government has emerged the broadcast does not explain, only asserting that it was created by the will of the Finnish people, from whom, says Mr Geclye, it is separated by the Red Army, adding that the part of the Finnish army which is alleged to have joined the "people's government” is presumably the prisoners taken in Terijoki. DESERTED CAPITAL ONLY THIRD OF POPULATION REMAINING. PROPOSALS TO NEGOTIATE WITH SOVIET. LONDON, December 3. The Finnish capital entered the third day of the war with only a third of the population remaining. The majority of these are spending tlie days and night in dugouts and in the snow-covered woods and forests round the city. Many are sleeping in the open. The roadsides are littered with abandoned cars wrecked in accidents during the blackouts. The new constitutional Cabinet is welcomed as a istrong coalition. It is now formulating plans to negotiate with the Soviet. The Finns announce the recapture of Kiveapa, 13 miles behind the Karelian frontier. A Russian army communique stated yesterday that the troops have advanced 16 miles on the Karelian Isthmus. The retreating Finns burned villages and forcibly evacuated the occupants. Marshal Voroshilov is commanding on the Finland front. NATIONAL CABINET TRADE UNIONS' SUPPORT. The Social Democrat Party in Finland and the trade unions have issued a joint proclamation expressing confidence in the Government and stating that if the Soviet Union sets no value on the will of the working classes for peace, there is nothing left but to fight, j a radio message reports. j In paying a tribute to the Government, which, it says, fully represents , lhe people, the proclamation says: , “The whole working class recognises how much has been done in promoting ( the welfare of the people and of the j country. ' .