The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-12-14
NORTH FINLAND
 | EALL ABLAzE
Continued from Page D

The Films, reported to have re- duced half of Salmijaervi. to charred ruins, were moving to defensive positions south of the town. It ap- peared inevitable that henceforth whatever fighting there is must take | place on the Norwegian border. Frontier dispatches said that the Films had not set fire to and aban- doned Salmijaervi until after three Soviet air raids followed by land operations in force during the morn- ing.
 Retreating Calmly
 They were reported to be retreat- ing calmly. Russian forces were said to be encountering resistance from small Finnish army units which were fighting Q delaying action to cover the retreat of the main Fin nish army.
 Films were rushing to points south of Salmijaervi in trucks to occupy already prepared defense positions dispatches said,
 Heavy firing was reported from the village of Menika, opposite the Skogfoss on the Norwegian border.
 Most of Kolochoki, where valuable nickel works are located. has been burned, border dispatches said, but no explosions were reported. It was said that the Films were waiting :o set off large land mines when the Russians approached. Occupation of Kolochoki by the Russians will mean destruction of the nickel works by the Films, dispatches said
 They added that fires set at Borisglbe spread rapidly to villages along the river.
 Finn's Attack Unconfirmed
 Reports that a Finnish force al- ready had made q surprise attack in the north and crossed into Rus sian territory toward the Mur1nansl; railway were not confirmed here Such a coup, however, was regard ed here as logical one and 1t was believed that If the supply line could be cut, the Russian troops in Fin land would be thrown in chaos.
 The greatest danger to Finland was the Russian thrust across the center of the countryside marrow waist line"-toward the Gulf oi Bothnia, The Russians were re- ported bringing all pressure to beai for Q break through that sector which would cut Finland in tive and shut off the southern part from overland supplies, which move by rail southward from Sweden. The approaching Arctic winter was the worst foe of the Russians Already snow lies thick in some sections and 1t Is bitterly cold, but this is nothing to what 1t will be ir the next few weeks.
 For the moment. Finland's fate seemed to depend on preventing the Russians moving up enough re- serves and supplies by rail to break through at the waist line" where the country is only about l50 miles wide. The Films were reported tc have torn up sections of the Mur. mansky railway tracks in an ati raid Tuesday, and reports reaching hereindicated @ strong possibility that the raids would be continued. Soviet Tactics Are Rough
 The Russian tactics in Finland, as described by the Helsinki ocorres- pondent of the newspaper National Tidende, were like a herd of stam- peding reindeer "which tries to carry everything before 1t by weight oi numbers" It was generally agreed that the Russian losses so far hao been many times those of the Films who carry light, automatic arms easy to transport in the wilderness
 Each day of the war, however made 1t more evident to military ob- servers here that the Films need ar- artillery and anti-tank guns for con- tinued resistance to the heavy Rus sian columns.
 It was the general impression that the Russian drive had slowed down yesterday, possibly because the Films took the offensive at few well chosen spots and brought up endorsements at threatened points in the endangered waist line".
 Red Forces Advance
 Moscow, Dec. l4.-(UP) P)-Russis1 troops have advanced eight miles since since yesterday in central Fin land, where they are driving toward the Gulf of Bothnia to cut the country in two, and now are 65 miles. or half way across Finland's narrow "waistline", the Red army announced today.
 On that Ukhta front, two Russian armies are moving westward in fork line lines, their objective being Tor nio at the head of the Gulf of Bothnia. Should they reach 1t, and be able to hold their lines across the country intact, South Finland's only railway connections with the outside world, via Sweden, would be cut.