ATTACK ON RUSSIA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 February 1940, Page 6

ATTACK ON RUSSIA

URGED BY HORE=BELISHA FINLAND HOLDING THE PASS FOR CIVILISATION. CHANCE FOR DECISIVE ACTION. By TelegrapH—Press Association—Copyright. (Received This Day. 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, February 23. The former Secretary of State for "War (Mr L. HoreBelisha) in a speech, urged That Britain and France, should throw the whole of their military, naval and air strength into the war against Russia. ’The resistance by the Finns, he said, had shown evidence that Russian strength rested on insecure foundations.. “The risk of helping Finland,” he added, “may be great, but the risk of not helping her may be greater. She is not fighting for herself alone. She holds the pass of civilisation. Wellplanned, adequate and decisive action now could curtail the war.”

“DIRTY WORK” ALLEGED BY THE NAVAL VICE-COMMISSAR. COMPLICATED AND TENSE SITUATION. (Received This Day. 11.15 a.m.) MOSCOW. February 23. The Vice-Commissar for the Navy, M Levchenko, in an article in the “Pravda,” says the Navy has played'an important part in Finland. It has taken islands, destroyed coastal fortifications and suppressed attempts by. the British and French to convey arms, supplies and troops to the Mannerheim Line. The 22nd anniversary of the Red Army and Red Navy is being celebrated in the midst of a complicated and tense international situation, in which British and French provocateurs are doing their utmost to kindle the fire of war against the Soviet by dirty methods,” he adds. “They do. not stop at anything and are using blackmail, threats and bribes. We must be vigilant as never previously, and must conduct the war in our own and also in other waters if forced to do so. The Baltic and Blac(c Sea fleets have been provided with new submarines and surface craft. The Northern Fleet has become a significant force which must be considered carefully by all desiring to attack the Soviet from the north. Our northern waters are as unapproachable as the Black Sea and Gulf of Finland. Our Pacific Fleet has over 100 submarines and surface craft, besides torpedo boats and small vessels. Dozens of ships of all classes which are being completed in the shipyards are not inferior in any respect to the best foreign models.”