December 12, 1939; LEAGUE DEADLINE NEARS; ULTIMATUM TO MOSCOW:

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, DECEMBER 12, 1939:

24-Hour Deadline on League

Ultimatum to Moscow
Ends; Finns Get Aid.

GENEVA, Dec. 12.—(AP)—The 24- hour deadline for a reply to the League of Nations' offer to mediate the Russian-Finnish war passed today without a reply from the Soviet The deadline was 6 p. m. (11 a.m. C. S. T.),. but officials said consideration still would be given a reply if it were received later.

Nevertheless, at 6 p. m., the 13-nation league committee considering Finland's appeal for aid began drafting a report to the league assembly which would condemn Russia as an aggressor.
ADOPTION SEEN.
Indications pointed to adoption of such a resolution by a large majority either tonight or tomorrow. Argentina then plans to present a proposal for expelling Russia from the league. It was deemed likely this proposal also would go through.

Red Troops Take Arctic

Port; Seek to Sever
Invaded Land.
HELSINKI, Dec. 12.—(AP)—The Red invaders of Finland, operating from dearly-won footholds 40 miles within the border, pressed today two separate campaigns, either one which—if completed—might bring Finland to her knees.
The newer of these parallel offensives took shape along the icy shore of Lake Ladoga and in the lake-dotted country to the north, of here numerically superior Soviet Russian forces were bent on rounding the northern part of Lake Lato to outflank the stubborn defenders of the Karelian isthmus.
Twelve days of attack by planes, tanks, artillery and infantry had failed to crack the Isthmus defenses between Lake Ladoga and the Gulf Finland—the Mannerheim line—according to the Finnish command.
TOWN OCCUPIED.
A Finnish communique told of withdrawal yesterday from Pitkarnta, a railway terminus about 40 mies within Finland on the Ladoga shore, permitting Russian occupation of the town.

 

War at a glance

By The Associated Press

GENEVA—
Noon-deadline nears for Russian reply to league mediation offer; Finland campaigns for war aid.

HELSINKI—

Russian invaders seek to bisect Finland and outflank Karelian defenses.

LONDON—

Admiralty reports German liner Bremen sighted by British submarine.

PARIS—

German patrol actions repulsed on Western front; French say.

BERLIN—

Only minor enemy artillery fire reported by Germany