The Wilmington morning star., 1940-03-11
FAILURE OF PEACE
MOVES BY FINNS,
SOVIETS FEARED
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southern Finland were visited, and
a train was machinegunned between
and Borga."
Available reports said no one was
killed.
Reserve Lieutenant Matt Vosik-
klnen, world famous Finnish gym
mast, died in battle north of Ladoga,
1t was announced.
The earlier Finnish announcement
That a four-man delegation was In
Moscow to negotiate peace terms
burst upon the Finnish public with
great suddenness.
Terms of the Russian proposals
were not disclosed. A communicate
said that direct negotiations had
been opened in Moscow ito lind out
whether possibilities exist for a ces-
sation of hostilities and a restoration
of peace" but that mo decision has
been taken up to the present"
Tonight's announcement, which
was attributed to the semi-official
Finnish news bureau, said that this
contact has been established through
mediation Of the government of
Sweden"
Government Recognized
Observers here were quick to note
that it was the first time Moscow
had recognized the Finnish govern.
ment formed under Premier Ryti in
the early days of the war. Russia
maintained before the League of Ma
lions that the only legal government
of Finland was the Terijoki regime
headed by the Communist Otto Ku-
usinen.
No mention was made in the brief
communicate when Premier Ryti and
his delegation would return to Fin.
land, but it was not considered like
ly they would remain away long.
They left here Wednesday evening
the communique said.
The feeling has persisted in in
formed quarters here since the peace
move first was discussed four days
ago that the Soviet proposals were
unacceptable and more severe than
those of last fall, rejection of which
was followed by the Russian inva-
sion.
Many Firms have expressed them.
selves as ready and anxious to fight
it out for what they believe to be
their rights. There has been no in.
dication in Finland of a rising senti.
ment for a peace settlement which
would give the Russians what they
unsuccessfully had demanded.
There has been, however, a strong
feeling that the rest of the world
should do more to assist what Firms
call the republics defense of civil.
ization."
Tonight's communique was drop.
ped with all the suddenness and sur
prise of a Russian bomb in Helsinki,
where the citizens, with lives geared
to war, spent two hours in bomb
shelters this afternoon although no
planes were sighted over the city. '
The Announcement
The announcement, the first Of
fetal Finnish word on a move which
has set all Europe conjecturing on
the possible effects a Russian.Fin-
nish peace might have on the west
ern European war, follows:
According to information received
by the Finnish news bureau, contact
has recently been established be-
tween the government of Finland
and the government of the U. S.
S. r.
"This contact has been establish
ed through the mediation of the gov
eminent Of Sweden. The object has
been to find out whether possibilities
exist for a cessation Of hostilities
and a restoration of peace. Both
parties have come to the conclusion
that it would be useful to bring
about a direct discussion.
"On an invitation extended by the
government Of the U. S. S. r. to the
government of Finland to send rep.
resentatives to Moscow to negotiate,
a delegation left from here Wed.
nesday evening consisting of Prime
Minister Ryti, Mr.. Passsikivi (Juho
Paasikivi, head Of the Finnish dele
cation in the fruitless Moscow
negotiations last fall) General Wal
den, and Mr. Voionmaa, a member
Of parliament.
"The delegation already has held
joint sessions with representatives
of the government Of hte U. S. S. R.
In this way knowledge has been OBJ
tanned Of the peace proposals of the
latter. Nc decision has been taken
up to the present."
The Firms had announced, on
Thursday, simply that Russia had
prepared to submit demands more
far-reaching than her original de-
mands Of last autumn, which, when
rejected by Finland, were followed
by the Russian invasion on Nov. 80.
Capitals Talk Peace
(The prospects Of a Russian-Fin-
nish peace were under discussion in
all of Europe's big capitals Sunday.
The possibility Of Britain and France
sending troops to aid Finland was
understood to have been the chief
topic Of a conference held in Rome
between Premier Mussolini and Ger
mar Foreign Minister Joachim Won
Ribbentrop. Both London and Paris
have been studying the possibilities
of such aid.)