Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-12-25
Sweden S Christmas
Prayer Asks Aid
For Finland
Trade Treaty With
Germany Termed
Welcome YuIe Gift
BY WALTER DURANTY.

BY WALTER DURANTY.
STOCKHOLM, Dec. IS (N.AN.A).
Sweden is spending a happier
Christmas than it expected two
weeks ago, but the yuletide mes
sages in the newspapers and Of an
national spokesman testify that
grave anxiety is still persisting.
Stockholm blazes with lights, fes-
TONED in colored garlands over the
main thoroughfares, but yesterdays
Dagens Nyheter significantly re-
marks, 1--WE still have Christmas
lights, but the war darkness thick
ems around u.s."
According to the Swedish custom
of spending Christmas as far as
possible with relatives in the coun-
try, the capital has been half emp
tied for the last two days, and al
most all the restaurants, cafes and
places of amusement are closed, but
early this morning the whole Swed-
ish countryside was Lit up by mil
lions of candles, torches and sleigh
lights of families going to church
to pray fervently for peace and
Gods aid to Finland. The church
pilgrimage occurs every year, but
this year will be greatly intensified.
Heartened by Trade Pact.
No less than by the Finnish sue
cesses of the past few days, which
at least temporarily diminish the
Russian menace, the SWedeS are
relieved by the conclusion of trade
negotiations with Germany, which
editorials call a welcome Christmas
gift that somewhat discounts the
recent warnings in the German Of
fetal press that Sweden should not
NEEDLE too much in the Russo
Finnish conflict. A further cause
OF satisfaction is the release of two
thirds of the Swedish vessels, total
Ing 40, that have been held for
examination in German ports, many
for several weeks.
The best informed circles are in
clined to the view that nothing
succeeds like success "-meaning that
the Germans might readily have
brought pressure on the Scandi-
navian countries had the Films COL
lapSed, but are now inclined to await
events more cautiously. Some quar-
tiers here attach Importance to the
growing number of train wrecks and
reports of internal divisions among
the German leaders-the effects of
the Graf Spec affair, and so forth
but it is noteworthy that the Swed-
ish press and public speeches main
tain an attitude of reserve about
Germany while being far more out
spoken about Russia.
Elated Over Red Setback.
Authoritative military opinion here
Is eiated over the Russian setback
in the extreme north and along the
northern middle front from Salla
to Suomussalmi. On both sectors,
they think, the Russians will find 1t
most difficult to redress the situa-
ton, owing to the cold and snow
and the paucity of communications,
which make it impossible for the
Russians to throw in sufficient troops
to check the victorious Firms at the
points which earlier were thought
here to be the most dangerous be-
cause they were not protected by
fortified lines. A Russian advance
in the north would have threatened
the Swedish iron mines and their
railroad link with the Norwegian
port of Narvik, and, in the south,
an advance to the Bothnian Gulf
would have cut Finland's connec-
ton with Sweden and the rest Of
the world.
The Films latest victory, in the
region of Aglajarvi, soldiers here
believe, not only removes a dan
gerous threat to the important
junction of Joensuu and the posi-
bility of turning the Mannerheim
line from the north, but also greatly
relieves pressure upon the line itself
in the Karelian Isthmus, farther
south, which is the only sector
where communications are good
enough to permit the Russians to
use adequately their superiority in
manpower and materials.
Russians Not Underestimated.
1t is remarkable, however, that no
Swedish military experts underesti-
mate the Russians or fail to think
that their efforts will be renewed
on a greater scale unless unforeseen
political developments intervene.
The experts attribute the poor quail
ity of the earliest Russian prisoners
to the fact that the Russians mis-
judged Finnish resistance and used
local, second-rate forces.
There also is current in Stockholm
q story that the Russian general
commanding the northern front,
when ordered to attack on November
80, reported that he needed three
days, if not week, to complete his
preparations, but was overruled by
peremptory orders from Moscow or
Leningrad.
But it is thought possible here that
the Russians may be forced to give
the Firms an invaluable breathing
space in order to regroup their own
divisions and perhaps await more
favorable weather. Finally, reports
that the Russian air bombs are ill
aimed and aften buds are confirmed
here by an unimpeachable authority.
D. c. Rainbow Veterans