Evening star., 1939-12-27
New York; 'sfinns
See 'Standoff' War
Until Late Spring
Point to Preparation
For Conflict and
Strategic Position
By the Associated Press.


spring or early summer of 1910, say
spokesmen for the 20,000-odd Firms
living in the New York metropoli-
tan area.
Ever since the close of the World
War, from which Finland emerged
with its independence, the nation
has been preparing for the next
war" they point out.
The nature of those preparations
Is an index to the stubborn resist
ance put up by the Firms, as de-
tailed in Finnish communicates,
since the start of the fighting with
Russian forces on November 30.
No Place for Motor Army.
Training and terrain are the cor
nerstones of the Finnish defense.
The land itself, cupped with lakes
and studded with forests, forblds
large-scale troop movements, espe-
cially in the winter and spring, ex-
cept with almost overwhelming diff
ficulty. 1t is no place for the use
of mechanical and highly motor
lied equipment, employed SO effec-
lively by the Germans in Poland.
What summer and dry terrain
will mean, no Finn will hazard a
guess.
Finnish fighting bears remarkable
similarities to that in the Indian
wars of early American history.
For 20 years $4,000 Firms have
been inducted into the army an
nually for training. Every five years
they have returned for months
'refresher course" They have
been taught craftsmanship, the use
of skis and. most important, meth
ods of orientation to prevent their
becoming lost in the forests.
Can Find Way BY Stars.
Every Finnish officer knows the
location of iron deposits and just
how many degrees they will defect
standard compass from true
north. He has working knowledge
of astronomy to find his way by
the stars.
Of paramount Importance to the
Finnish defense have been the me-
thodical photographing and chart
ing of all frontier areas. Along the
Mannerheim Line, which has been
fortified in depth like the Maginot
and Siegfried Lines, every sector has
been blocked out in numbers. That,
say Finnish resident here, is respon-
sible for the remarkable accuracy of
Finnish artillery fire.
The Finn who devised the army'S
system of artillery fire, 1t. Gen.
Vilho Peter Nenonen, is now in the
United States on military mission.
Buttressing the land frontier forti-
fications are those along the Gulf of
Finland, from Koivisto to the
Aaland Islands. Coastal batteries
have an overlapping fire. Any YES
sci approaching the coast comes
within the range of at least two
series of gun emplacements.
Four Light Cruisers.
The floating coastal defense con-
sists of two "Ironclads," four light
cruisers, seven destroyers, five sub
marines and fleet of motor torpedo
boats similar to those used by Eng
land during the World War, fast and
deadly against lightly armored war
ships.
Weather, scattered military objec-
tives and the purchase Of extraordl-
narily accurate Swedish antl-alr-
craft guns, which were acquired in
quantity by both England and Ger
many prior to the start OF the war
in Western Europe, render Finland
more immune than the average
country to air attacks. The Firms.
too, are counting on their customary
winter fog and clouds to discourage
such attacks.
The same weather makes air OBJ
servation. indispensable to high
commands in launching offensives,
very difficult
Yet the Firms need aircraft, as
was evidenced by the recent pur-
chase of A American fighting planes.
They entered the war with perhaps
300 warplanes, purchased from Italy,
Germany and England. The govern
ment itself manufactures one type OF
observation plane.
FLYERS Estimated at 5000.
It is estimated that Finland has
fully 5000 flyers, military and non
military, available for war duty.
The infantry "effectives" of Fin
land have been estimated at slightly
in excess of 100000 men, though
dispatches from abroad have put
the figure as high as 100000. The
standing army before the war with
Russia began numbered no more
than 10000.
Behind it stood the reserves-men
with the required years military
training-and members of the Civic
Guard, corresponding roughly to the
United States National Guard.
Finnish boys IA or IS years old
frequently join the Civic Guard
prior to being called up for years
duty with the regular army.
Firms credit their commander in
chief, Field Marshal Baron Karl
Gustaf Emil Mannerheim, one-time
officer in the Russian Cars Army,
with building up the Finnish mill
tary establishment to its present
efficiency.
Now u Years Old.
Now 72 years old, this statesman
soldier fought with a poorly-clad
peasant army in Finland's civil war
in 1918 and later was elected regent
to treat with the allies after Ger
many's defeat.
Finally, because of their knowl-
edge of the weather and terrain,
the Firms have developed equipment
which has maneuverability, major
requisite. Their light machine gun,
intended for the use of two men, but
built for one if necessary, was de-
veloped for war of movement" by
L 1. i. L. ~ ILL