December 25, 1939;HELSINKI RESIDENTS TAKE COVER / AIR-RAID SIRENS DROWN OUT CHRISTMAS BELLS:

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, DECEMBER 25, 1939:

Pontiff Acknowledges F.D.R.

Appointment of Personal
Envoy to Vatican.

VATICAN CTTY, Dec.'25.—(AP)—Pope Plus led Catholicism in prayer today, having offered a basis for peace in a Christmas- address in which he assailed the inhumanity of war.

The pope celebrated mass at mid' night in the intimacy of his private chapel and again said mass on arising early for a quiet Christmas which he arranged to spend within his apartments, listening to a program of Christmas music broadcast by the Vatican radio station.
In informally acknowledging President Roosevelt's appointment of Myron C. Taylor as the president's personal representative to the Vatican the pope described-the move as "A powerful contribution for achievement of a just and durable peace and alleviation of the sufferings of war."
EXPRESSES GRATITUDE
Pope Pius sold he had expressed his "heartfelt gratitude" to the  president for the "Christmas message which could not have been more welcome to us."

The pope's program for a "Just and honorable peace," which he proposed in an address to 25 cardinals yesterday, contained five points, he expressed belief that when the "occasion presents itself all "sane statesmen" would consider them.

The points:

1. Guarantee every nation, large or small, the right' to life and in dependence.
FREE FROM SLAVERY
2. Free the world from "the slavery of armaments."
3. Make effective international organizations created to solve the world's problems peacefully.
4. Fulfill "the needs and just demands of nations, peoples and ethnical minorities."
5. Provide observance by statesmen and peoples of Christian principles.

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Capital and Seaport City

Inhabitants Take
to Shelters
.
HELSINKI, Dec. 25.—(AP) Howling air raid sirens drowned the Christmas bells in Finland's capital today and the sound of distant detonations' indicated the suburbs were hit by raiders. One alarm after another drove Helsinki's residents to cover over a period of nearly five hours, but apparently no bombs fell inside the city. The raids on the capital area followed attacks on Viborg, second largest Finnish city, in which casualties still had not; been determined late this afternoon.
Flying over the seaport city east of here, at least six bombs were dropped shortly after midnight, but no serious damage was reported immediately. It was the second bombing In the area within 24 hours.
Coming at 10 to 15-minute intervals, the blasts at first were believed to have been from enemy artillery fire. Some of the bombs fell in the heart of the city.
ENEMY TOLL HEAVY
The Finnish communique reported yesterday 14 Soviet planes were shot down. The enemy dead thus far, the Finns said, "cannot be known exactly, but It must soar to an. Extremely high figure."
The Russians reported the Finnish army left 971 men dead on the field in clashes yesterday on the Karelian Isthmus front, and that 35 soldiers and four Finnish, officers were taken prisoner.
Successful drives against the enemy were reported by the Finns from the southern isthmus front.
Reconnoitering attacks were carried out against the enemy along the isthmus, and Soviet forces were hurled back, the communique said.
CAPTURES MADE
On the Aglajarvi front, about 35 miles from the Russian border north of Lake Ladoga, the Finns said they had reached Alttojokl.

In the "waistline" section between Suomussalmi and Raappe, the Finns . reported Russian losses as "two tanks and a transport column of 100 horses and the capture by us of automobiles and- two anti-tank guns.

Further north, the Finns were reported following up the Red armyforces "approaching" Salla, about 35 miles from the Russian frontier.,
"Entire enemy companies, battalions and regiments have been cut up and scattered/' an official war summary said.

War at a Clance

International News Service.
HELSINKI. —
Helsinki and Viborg greeted with salvo of Russian bombs as Europe at war greets Christmas with hopes of ultimate settlement of war-creating conditions. Finns push invaders back toward Russian border.
ROME.—
Pope Pius XII voices prayer for peace, offers program for settlement of European conflicts.
WASHINGTON.—
President' Roosevelt's peace gesture in appointing "peace envoy" to Vatican hailed by religious and political leaders.
BERLIN.—
Western front inactive; British planes in flight over Helgoland; Germany told only victory can bring peace.
LONDON. —
King George VI addresses nation in Christmas message, declares war is only means to assure that" peace for which Christmas stands.