Askov American., 1940-01-25
INTERNATIONAL
NEWS REVIEW
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CONTINUED from Page ~
The three Scandinavian nations con-
tinue to feel that neutrality is their
best safeguard, and although popular
sentiment overwhelmingly is with the
British and the French, there is such
thing as jeopardizing your existence
by abandoning policy always found
sound and strong.
Not Official.
One reason why the Scandinavian
and other small neutrals were not so
terribly worried about the Churchill
effusion was the fact that the Speech
was delivered not in behalf of the
government of which he is men,
ber, but on his own personal respon-
sibility. The government even found
it necessary Monday of this week to
hint that Mr.. Churchill spoke in be-
half of himself; it did not say that
| it disapproved of the burden of his
speech, but simply that it was his,
not that of His Britannia Majesty's
government.
NO flcOSc.
Last week when a crisis between
Soviet Russia and the Scandinavian
states was threatening to become
acute, cautious announcement was
made in London and Paris to the
effect that in case of an attack on
the Northern nations, they were likely
to be aided by Britain and France.
Almost Immediately word came
from London and Paris that no such
pledge had been given, none had
been offered, none was contemplated.
However, should an act of aggres-
sion be committed against the three
nations, Great Britain and France
might out of regard for their own
particular interests do something
about it. But even that is uncertain
when one remembers what hap
pened to Anglo-French pledges given
to Czechoslovakia and Poland.
Finnish Defense.
Despite terrific winter temperatures
the Finnish defense against Russia
goes on, and so do the Russian at
tacks on Finland. Fierce fighting
appears to be in progress in the north
ern part of central Finland where the
Russians few days ago had pene-
trated about IS miles into the vicin-
ity of the so-called Salla front in a
new effort to cut Finland in two.
Desperate Finnish counter attacks
would appear to have driven the
enemy more than 80 miles back to-
ward his own border, but details are
| hazy, war bulletins-from either side
to be read with reservation, so a
clear picture of the situation is not
available. The general impression,
however, is that the Firms are hold
ing their own.
There have been hundreds of Rus
sian bombardments from the air of
Finnish cities, but, considering the
alleged fact that the invaders have
dropped nearly $4,000 bombs within
the last eight or nine days, casualties
and destruction have been, relatively
insignificant.
AS these lines are being written,
word comes of violent fighting at the
Mannerheim line on the Karelian
isthmus; it seems that the Russians
are making desperate attempt to
go through, but there has been no
report that they actually have sue
ceeded.
Quiet.
In that almost forgotten war be-
tween Germany and France, all is
still quiet along the Siegfried and
the Maginot lines; the bulletins from
both the German and the French
headquarters announce with un-
changing monotony that nothing hap
pens-right now because of the fierce
winter weather which appears to have
paralyzed all military action. But
there hasn't, for that matter, been
much activity at any time.
On the high seas it is different
ship after ship continues to go down
hit by torpedo or mine, and most OF
the victims are British, although neu-
trail vessels, as usual, have to pay
their heavy part OF the toll.
Most recently reported are the
British destroyer, "Grenville," and
the following British merchant YES
sells: "Caroni River" "Protesilaus,
Ferry Hill," "Cairnross," and "Gra-
a,"-some of them ships of con-
siderable size. Other ships downed
during the last few days are the
Danish "Olga" and "Hekla," the lat
ter with a loss of nine lives; the
Norwegian "Fagerheim" and Enid
the Swedish "Pajala" and ''Flandria,
the German august Thyssen," the
Estonian "Nautic," the Greek "Aster-
ia," and the Belgian Josephine Char
lotte."
No Peace Prospects,.
In spite of many and varied rumors
about a peace movement being or
foot, it now seems that there is nc
immediate prospect of ending the war
Even Pope Plus who had been some
what hopeful, appears to have come
to the conclusion that the difficultie:
b. I,