Evening star., 1941-09-01

IN any Russian-Finnish negotia-
tlons," Mr.. Winant said.
He added that he first had heard
OF the rumors when he read the
story of the Daily Mails Stockholm
correspondent, one of the first
newspapers to report the rumors
and to mention Mr. Winant as a
central figure in the negotiations.
Possible indication that bitter
feeling between Firms and Russians
was giving way to a more con-
ciliatory attitude, however, was seen
in an announcement by the Finnish
foreign office that 13 Finnish diplo-
mats and citizens who had been
detained in railway cars on the
Russian side of the frontier ever
since the start of the eastern war
at last had been allowed to leave
by way of Turkey Refusal of Rus
slams to let them depart has been
the cause of sharp exchanges be-
tween the two countries.
Along with the peace rumors was
q report that the Soviet Premier,
Joseph Stain, had ordered his
northern army to withdraw on the
Karelian Isthmus to the old frontier
that existed in 1899
The Stockholm correspondent of
the Daily Mail reported Stain had
taken the initiative in the peace
move that might shorten the Red
Armys present battlefront by almost
500 miles.
The Stockholm account in
dicated Russian Marshal Klementi
Voroshilov had drawn his forces
back in some places as much as $50
miles. This version of Russian
secret, voluntary abandonment Of
the territory won from Finland in
the winter war of 1939-40 could not
be confirmed in authoritative quar-
ters here.
The Firms officially denied that
he'Helsinki government had started
dealings with Moscow for mediated
peace-but said nothing as to
whether the Russians had taken the
initiative in such negotiations
The Germans said their Finnish
allies had pushed on past Viipuri
and other points approximately to
the old Finnish-Russian frontier and
that the Finnish policy toward a
continuance of operations was un-
clear.
Intentions Undisclosed.
Accounts from the German capital
said 1t was not disclosed there
whether the Helsinki regime would
be satisfied with regaining Finland's
lost territory, or would continue in
the fight against bolshevism."
Informed sources in London de-
clared the Germans undoubtedly
would apply pressure in an attempt
to force the Firms to stay in the
fight, but expressed the belief the
present German strength in Finland
would not be sufficient to scare the
Firms. who battled Russia alone in
1899.
The Daily Mails Stockholm corre-
spondent Cabled that the Russian
withdrawal involved Is divisions
"outnumbering the Firms two to
one" and added:
TT is unlikely that Stain ordered
such a withdrawal-which means
abandoning a strong second line of
defense in the (Karelian) isthmus-
unless he received assurance that
the Firms would come to terms"
Would Lessen Leningrad Pressure.
London sources said that for
Russia separate peace with Fin
land would mean a lessening of the
pressure on Leningrad, would dimin-
ish the threat to the far northern
port of Murmansk, and would leave
large Red Army forces available for
transfer to shortened front against
the Germans.
For the Firms. they said, such a
peace would mean recovery of lost
territory, the end of the threat of
another winter campaign, and pos
sible release from British blockade