MANY RUMOURS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 March 1940, Page 5

MANY RUMOURS

FINLAND AND PEACE PROPOSALS STORIES MUCH IN CONFLICT. THE ATTITUDE OF SWEDEN. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. LONDON, March 8. According to the reports of peace moves in the RussoFinnish war, which are again circulating widely, the Stockholm correspondent of the “New York Times” says it is learned that Finnish and Russian representatives are now in personal touch. The peace terms exceed anything the Finns expected; nevertheless, it is reliably stated that they are being seriously considered.

It is denied that the Swedish Government has brought pressure to bear. It is said that Stockholm acted merely as "the postman." The Copenhagen .correspondent of the “New York Times” states that there are unconfirmed reports that the Finnish military chief, Marshal Mannerheim, has returned from the front, declaring that the Finns will abandon the lines if there is no immediate help. Soviet circles in Moscow professed ignorance of a peace move in Finland, and asserted that M. Stalin is determined to support the Kussinen Government (the Soviet-Finnish puppet Government set up at Terijoki) till it is victorious. The arrival in Sweden of Dr Passakivie, the leader of the Finnish delegation to Moscow before hostilities commenced, in company with the former President of Finland, gives fresh impetus to the rumours that Sweden is attempting to obtain an armistice between Russia and Finland, but there is no official confirmation of these reports, and no official explanation of the presence of Dr Passakivi and his companion in Stockholm. HELP FROM FRANCE LONDON, March 8. The extent of French aid to the Finns is now indicated. It is stated that this assistance included 500 guns, 5000 machine-guns and automatic weapons, shells' and grenades, and 20,000,000 cartridges. The Press states that France thus far has sent Finland 175 planes, 496 guns, 400 sea mines, 5000 machineguns, 795,000 shells, 20,000,000 cartridges and 200,000 hand grenades. NEWS HELD UP NO TELEPHONE CONTACT WITH STOCKHOLM. MANNERHEIM’S REPORTED JOURNEY. (Received This Day, 9.80 a.m.) LONDON, March 8. While the world is waiting for news of the Russian-Finnish peace moves centred in Sweden, telephone communication with Stockholm is still suspended. In the meantime unconfirmed reports stale that Marshal Mannerheim has arrived at Stockholm by air from Helsinki to join Dr. Paasikivi. It is also reported that Dr. Svinhufrud, a former President of Finland, has arrived at Copenhagen, en route to Berlin. TALK WITH RIBBENTROP (Received This Day, 9.55 a.m.) BERLIN, March 8. Dr. Svinhufrud and the Swedish Ambassador visited Herr von Ribbentrop at the Foreign Office. SOVIET GO=BETWEEN IN CONTACT WITH FINNISH GOVERNMENT. STATEMENT BY M. TANNER. (Received This Day, 9.55 a.m.) LONDON, March 8. The first news today front Stockholm announced that the newspaper “Aftonbladet” states that M. Tanner (Foreign Minister), in- a telephone conversation, said the Finnish Government had made contact with a go-between for the Soviet and that this contact had not been broken. The “Aftonbladet” adds: “The importance of the negotiations necessitates silence at present.” Here Stockholm was again cut off .from London. A message from Oslo says M. Tanner has gone to Berlin from Helsinki by air. The Norwegian newspaper “Dagbladet” says the Russian and Finnish Ministers to Sweden conferred in the presence of a Swedish Government representative. SITUATION SERIOUS EXTENSION OF FIGHTING FRONT. RUSSIAN ATTACKS ON COAST. (Received This Day, 10.20 a.m.) STOCKHOLM, March 8. Soviet attacks have been intensified across Viborg Bay and on the Gulf of Finland coast, doubling the length of the Finnish southern defence lines. For this reason the military situation is regarded as most serious.