Evening star., 1939-12-23
Russians in Retreat


Bismarck's famous aphorism that
the Russian Army was "a lath
painted to look like iron" is finding
its vindication in Europe's farthest
north this winter. On all three fight
ing fronts where hostilities with the
Firms are raging-in the bleak
northern Arctic, on the Karelian
Peninsula and in the east, where the
invaders are trying to cut Finland
in two by drive to the Gulf of
Bothnia-the Red Army is being
beaten and repelled. In the Arctic
area, Norwegian border reports say
that the Russian retreat approaches
a "catastrophe." In the Petsamo re-
gion the Firms, with a resiliency that
has demoralized their foes, have
bounded back from the defense lines
to which they withdrew week ago
and are now actually pursuing
Russian Army that is in flight.
In the east and in the narrow Ka-
relian theater of operations the de-
Tenders are not only withstanding
heavy Russian assaults without
yielding an inch of ground, but are
communicating with marked elan.
General Winter, the conqueror of
Napoleon in Russia, is proving to
be Finland's effective ally, but it is
the tenacity, unquenchable bravery
and superior efficiency of the little
republics troops which are primarily
responsible for what is proving to be
one of the military miracles of our
time.
For the better part of a month
now, the overwhelmingly mightier
war machine of Red Russia, recently
rated the most powerful in all Eu-
rope, has hurled itself in vain
against the tiny army of the Soviet
Unions tiny reighbor. It is, of
course, true that only a relatively
small portion of the Reds vast res
ervoir of manpower, artillery, tanks
and aircraft has thus far been en-
ployed; yet it stands to reason that
Stain and Voroshiloff, conscious
that they face no contemplate foe
on the Mannerheim Line, must real
ize that the Soviet has a first-class
campaign on its hands. 1t is incon-
ceivable that the Moscow army
chiefs do not now view the conflict
as war that calls for the Soviets
best military effort. Meantime, it
has become apparent to every gen.
eral staff in the world-to those in
Toxic and Berlin particularly, we
may be sure-that the vaunted Red
Army is not what it was cracked
up to be.
The Firms themselves must be the
least surprised of all at their
feat in checking the barbarian
horde that seeks to conquer them.
The defenders are making their
stand under Typographical condi-
tions familiar to them in minutest
detail and Systematically fashioned
by expert hands for precisely the
emergencies now being so effectu-
ally met. Broadcasting from Hell
sinki last night, William L. White,
whose graphic war dispatches are
appearing in The Star, said there is
every indication that the Firms can
and will fight it out all winter on
the lines they now hold, if neces-
sary, to emerge in the spring in even
better position to stand off a baf-
fled enemy. All this, of course, is
predicated on the theory that Mar
shall Mannerheim will have at his
disposal continuous supply of arms
and munitions, especially field artil-
lery, rapid fire rifles and airplanes-
an imperative need which The Star
emphatically believes this country
can and should fill.
If anything were necessary to DEM
onstrate that time is of the essence,
if outside military aid is to reach Fin
land soon enough to be of any use to
her, such evidence is supplied by
the present-hour state of the CAM
paign. It fin0s the Finnish Army
strong, resolute, aggressive and win
ming. Fifty million dollars of Amer
ican money, made available for i'm
mediate purchase of military sup
plies, might prove to be just the
feather necessary to turn the scales
of victory definitely in Finland's
favor.
The Stars poll among influential
members of Congress reveals a large
body of sentiment in favor of beat
ing universal American sympathy
for the FinnS into Something which