Evening star., 1940-03-11
Par|eY With Hitler
Sought by Finns'
Former President
Plan for Guarantee of
Reduced Finnish Stute
Is Denied in Berlin
~ the Associated Press.

Finland, visited the foreign Office
today assumedly to inquire whether
1t would be opportune for Adolf
Hitler to receive him.
There was no immediate disclosure
whether he would see Hitler.
The Finnish statesman was ac-
eompanied by Aarne Wuorimaa, Fin
nish minister to Germany, and was
received by Baron Ernst Won
Weizsaecker, state secretary in the
foreign office.
Finnish sources said Svinhufvud
would not leave for Italy while
Foreign Minister Won Ribbentrop
was in Rome. He did not want to
arrive there while italian Premier
Mussolini was busy with the Ger
man foreign minister.
Authorized sources said there was
no truth in reported plan for Italy
and Germany to guarantee the Fin
nish state after peace has been re-
stored between Moscow and Hell
sinki.
They declined to comment on Won
Ribbentrop's audience today with
Pope Plus XII and on repeated con-
facts between German officials and
Msgr. Cesare Orsenigo, papal nuncio
to Berlin, ir recent weeks.
The prevailing impression in Ber-
lin was that Germany would mark
time on any move of her own in
connection with the Finnish Rus
sian peace talks pending definite
word on the course of the Moscow
negotiations.
Svinhufvud was reported to have
had several private" conversations
with Germans, but with no top-rank
officials.
Hitler Silent on Finnish War.
Adolf Hitler's victory"
speech yesterday in observance of
Germany's memorial day contained
no reference to the Finnish-Russian
situation. 1t was rather a procla-
nation of undying struggle against
Germany's enemies - "imperialist
England and France"
THE world desires our dissoiu-
tion," the Fuehrer told 600 invited
guests in the courtyard of the Zeug-
haus - military museum - whose
walls were lined with tanks and
guns and other trophies of the Pol
ish campaign.
Our only reply can be the great
est pledge of all times: On to vic
tory~
Hitler looked paler and more
solemn than usual. His gray uni
form, barren of insignia. offered a
sharp contrast to the glittering uni
forms of his audience.
LAS Fuehrer of the nation, as chief
of state, as supreme commander of
the armed forces, I live but for one
task: Day and night to think of vic
tory, struggle, work and fight for
victory, if necessary not to spare my
own life in the conviction that this
time Germany's future will be Sc
cured for centuries.
This war, forced upon us, must
turn out to be the most glorious
victory in German history. - ."
Asks Gods Blessing.
No diplomats, foreign military at
taches or women were invited. All
but about dozen of the guests were
uniformed, their police, army, party,
labor service, and foreign Office dress
contrasting with the trophies of the
Polish campaign.
For the first time in our history,
the entire German people steps into
the presence of the Almighty to i'm
plore him to bless its struggle for ex-
istence," Hitler said
Our large homeland has been
cleansed of elements of disintegra-
ton and forces of disunion.
mo nation has greater right
to honor its heroes.
mo one has a right to honor
heroes who is not of the same i'm
pulses and feeling as they"
At first his speech, broadcast over
nationwide radio hookup, was
delivered in a rather monotonous
tone, with scarcely gesticulation,
but his voice rose when he declared
passionately:
THE western plutocracies de-
clared the widest war on and
threatened the complete annihila-
tion of National Socialist Germany
because of her 'Volksgemeinschaft
Esprit Of being a closely welded
whole"
Tanker Destruction Claimed.
Underlining the Fuehrer's decla-
fations was an announcement yes
terday by the high command that a
tenth of Great Britain's tanker fleet
had been destroyed.
The communique also told of "con-
siderable artillery and patrol activ-
ity" on the western front, recon-
naissance flights over Eastern
France and an air battle between
seven German planes and 10 French,
including Curtiss (American) types,
IN which a French-manufactur
plane was said to have been shot
down.
OF enemy tanker losses:
Since the beginning of the war,
German sea forces have sunk 46
enemy tankers and neutral tankers
on their way to England with total
gross tonnage of 331,543.
Included were 80 English tankers
with a gross tonnage of 230,125.
Thus, 10 per cent of the English
fleet of tankers has been destroyed" )"
The British acknowledged loss of
only 10 British and 10 neutral tank
ers up to March 2 and an informed
London source said British tankers
last July numbered 435, aside from
SO owned by British dominions and
colonies.