HINT OF DIVISION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 December 1939, Page 5

HINT OF DIVISION

STALIN AND HIS POSSIBLE SUCCESSOR ABSENCE OF BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE. POSSIBLY SIGNIFICANT. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received This Day, 9.55 a.m.) NEW YORK. December 22. The Moscow correspondent of the “New York Times,” Mr. G. E. R. Geyde, says the only prominent Soviet personage, and he is one of the most prominent and is often .mentioned as Stalin’s own choice as his successor, whose tribute on the occasion of Stalin’s birthday was conspicuous by its absence, is Andrey Zhdanoff, Leader of the Leningrad area, avowedly the leading anti-Finland spirit, who is believed to have succeeded despite considerable opposition on the part of the Political Bureau, which advocated Stalin’s usual waiting tactics and cautious methods. Zhdanoff is also considered to be the leading anti-British spirit. The Finnish campaign thus far has not brought military glory to Russia, while haste in proclaiming the Finnish People’s Government is calculated to force the Soviet to attempt the complete military subjugation of Finland and has made the acceptance of a reasonable compromise a task only a great statesman could accomplish. The omission of Zhdanoff’s tribute to Stalin may be a coincidence, but in view of the above circumstances it is most interesting.

RADIO REPORTS MORE BOMBING RAIDS. SOVIET DEFEAT IN NORTH. Daventry reports that Russian planes have again appeared over Helsinki flying at an altitude of 10,000 ft. Bombs were dropped in the northern quarters and many people were injured, but the material damage was negligible. Leaflets dropped were blown out to sea by the wind. The Russian retreat in the far north is believed to have freed Finnish territory in that region of Soviet troops. The retreating troops are making for Kola and not for the place at which they were landed. The Russians, it is stated, are suffering severe losses and are unable to start tanks and armoured cars on account of extreme cold. It is confirmed that the Finns have brought down 35 Soviet planes in the last three days’ and since the war began have captured or destroyed over 350 tanks.