December 5, 1939: RUSSIA WILL IGNORE LEAGUE OF NATIONS:

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, DECEMBER 5, 1939:

Soviet Union

Not at War,
Moscow Says
Finland's Appeal
To League of Nations
Called 'Unfounded',

POINTS TO TREATY

WITH NEW REGIME
Says Government
At Helsinki
Has Resigned Powers

,;. By. The Associated Press

MOSCOW, Dec'; 4.—Soviet. Russia today declared that it would not be possible to take; part in the. League of Nations meetings called next Saturday and Monday to consider a Finnish protest at the Russian invasion.

"The Soviet .Union is not in a state of ;. war with, Finland and does not threaten the Finnish people with war,"

Premier Vyacheslaff Molotoff .told Joseph A. C. Avenol, secretary-general of the League, in a cablegram.

Low Clouds

Keep Planes
From Capital

Helsinki Leader Says

1,500 Russians Trapped
In Eastern Sector

FINNS TO FORTIFY

AALAND ISLANDS
Finns Holding Firm
Against Adversaries
Above Arctic Circle

By LYNN HEINZEKUNG

HELSINKI, 'Dec. 4. —<^>— Fighting Finland tonight claimed new successes against Soviet Russian invaders and steeled herself for new and more vigorous assaults expected by land, sea and air.

This ghost-like capital, deserted except for defenders and those necessary for vital services, was grateful, for lowering clouds and snowfall which kept Russian bombers away arid gave 'time to ~, strengthen defenses and clear away the debris of last week's air bombardment.

As night fell without further, air raids on Helsinki a government "spokesman announced that In the " eastern . sector north of Lake Ladoga the Finns  had captured 1,500 Russian troops. He said no further details of. the capture were available. " '

The government here, remained in almost continuous session, but it was said that no important inner political developments had occurred.

U.S~. Administration Hesitates

To Break With Soviet Russia

By The Associated Press
WASHINGTON, Dec. .4.—Any move to rupture diplomatic' relations with Soviet Russia appeared today to have been, definitely discarded by-the Administration—at least for .the time being.

Although some members of the Senate and House called-for the break, as a further rebuke to the Soviets for their invasion of Finland, the word was passed that officials desired to proceed cautiously.

State Department officials were known to be arguing, that severance of relations and recall of Ambassador –Laurence A. Steinhardt

1.     Would: not help Finland, already fighting for-its life.

2.     —;Deprive the United States of' a source of information and a contact at Moscow at a moment when they are

sorely needed; and

     3.—Possibly impair the influence the United States, might bring to bear on an eventual peace in Europe.

Secretary Hull said at his press conference that there was nothing for him to take up on the question of breaking off relations.

Latest Developments in War

Put New Pressure on Neutrals

By KIRKE L. SIMPSON

Associated Press Staff Writer
With the No. 2 war of Europe's double-header, the Russo-Finnish conflict, momentarily as weather-bound ashore as the German-British-French struggle of which it is a by-product, world attention shifted back to the sea frontiers and the Increasingly perilous plight of European neutrals.

"Complete" economic war has come to Germany on the sea front, the vital economic front of her battle of endurance with the Franco-British Allies.

The Allied effort to strangle Nazi commerce, outbound as well as inbound, in retaliation for Nazi mine warfare tactics, is in effect, despite protests of neutrals.

Cargoes of goods of German origin, under whatever flags they are carried and wherever found, are subject to seizure and diversion. A new war created irritant for all neutral states which use the seas is at work, tending 'to force them willy-nilly to take sides in one fashion or another.