December 24, 1939; SOVIET FORCE DESTROYED AT AGLAJRVI

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, DECEMBER 24, 1939:

AMERICAN WATERS TIGHTEN UP FOR SEA RAIDERS

Washington, Dec. 23 (AP)—The 21 American republics, acting in unity, protested to England. France and Germany today against naval engagements within the American “neutrality zone”, and advised them that consultations were being carried on looking toward penalizing future violations.

Among the steps under consideration, the note said, was adoption of a rule which would prevent belligerent vessels from supplying themselves and repairing damages in American ports “when the said vessels have committed warlike acts within the zone of neutrality.

All 21 Sign
The protest was sent to the three belligerents by the president of Panama, Dr. Don Augusto S. Boyd. It was signed by all the 21 republics signatory to the declaration of Panama which set forth the “inherent rights” of the American republics to establish the zone for their own protection.
The protest was based on the naval battle between the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee and three British cruisers off the Uruguayan coast, the “suicide” of the German warship in the River Plate, and the seizure or sinking of 'German merchant ships by British warship in American waters.

 

Allied ARMY GETS HOLLIDAY FARE MONDAY

LEAVE IS GRANTED TO SOLDIERS ON WESTERN FRONT

By The Associated Press
Europe’s lot is another wartime Christmas, but one way or another, it will be celebrated according to the tradition of each belligerent.
There was no official truce for the men at the front as they went about their Christmas preparations. Advance guards kept up their sentry duty.

French and British troops got ready for such feasting and gayety as their duties would permit, across no-man’s-land the Germans brightened their bunkers with evergreen and tuned up for Christmas caroling.

No Yule for Reds The Finns, fighting in a snow- covered, blue-clad country where every vista was worthy of a Christmas card, had little prospect of any Christmas observance at all. The Russian invaders don’t observe Christmas.

 

RUSSIANS REPULSED; COLD AND SNOW AIDS FINNS

BY HEINZERLING

Helsinki, Dec. 23 (AP)—A savage battle at Aglajarvi on the south-eastern front In which a surrounded Russian force was practically destroyed before it surrendered was reported tonight In the Finnish high command communique.
While Finnish troops were reporting a series of successful offensive operations along the eastern and southeastern fronts. Russian air raiders, for the fifth consecutive day, bombed strategic Finnish cities. Finnish advices, however, said there were no casualties.
More Guns Seized
The Aglajarvi region is now wholly in our hands and our advance continues,” the communique said, adding that more than 600 prisoners were captured in the fighting at Aglajarvi and nearby Tolvajarvl.

These towns are in the frontier zone about 60 miles north of Lake Ladoga . The Finns said they also seied six cannon, eight tanks, eight anti-

tank guns, a number of machine guns and other equipment in the AglajarvI operations.

 

 

Strategic areas in the Finnish war. (1) Finns

reported pursuing Russians as far as Hoyhenjarvi.

(2) Russians retreating from Salmijarvi.

(3) Reds reported to have left Petsamo