As units of the Red Army marched into battered Viipuri last night, 400,- 000 Finns began their great trek to new homes. Nearly one sixth of Finland's population is taking part. Mothers with crying children, riding carts, peasant women dragging their belongings on sledges and interminable lines of lorries, buses and icy. cles crowd the roads leading westward.
No-one has been forced to leave, but only one per cent. in the districts ceded have chosen to remain.
The Government has commandeered every vehicle to help the evacuation, and every horse or cart within fifteen miles of the new frontier has been pressed into service to transport families, All motor cars in the country, and the whole railway system, have been mobilized.
The Russians found Viipuri an empty shell. For three days large parties of civilians had been working ceaselessly to remove supplies and furniture from the city. Even the smallest shops were completely emptied.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.