Aug. 26.
The Nazis have threatened the complete destruction of Leningrad, the former capital of imperial Russia, if the magnificent re-Sistanee which the Russians have been Pulling up. is continued, The threat {ypleal in its ruthlessness and barbarity of What the. world hus come to expect. from these modern vandals, to whom nothing is, suered, and everything is a military objective. itis another aatlempt at terrorism on the Clementi Voroshilov. the Soviet Commander rear scale, bui it has not worked. Marshal
fn'the northern senior of the two thousand miles front, answered the German threat by issuing an' order to the defenders to hold cout until the Fast. "Leningrad will never fall fu easy prey to the invaders as did' Paris, it Femains to be seen whether the Nazis, despite their recent claim now to, be within Srillery range of the city, are able to carry cut their threat. If they are and subsequently succeed in occupying the city, they will have) the comfort of knowing that they are. re~ sponsible for creating a heap of ruin of what today a great and beautiful city, and that they themselves have made the place useless 10"them, So far. the aerial defences of Teningrad have proved more than adequate, and the Nazis are finding that, they are not faced with the easy task they had against War-Sav, which they destroyed after the Polish air force had been practically wiped out. They will nat have a simple feat before them such 3s they had over Rotterdam. This time they will meet a people as well equipped as them-elves; and hiled with a force determination hold' the city which in former. days, was the Russian centre of culture.
"The beautiful and well laid out city which was founded by Peter the Great has lost some fof its politi importance since the Russian Fevolullon, but {¢ sti remained an important entre of Russian trade until the, war with Germany broke out, "Tt was in 1703 that the Emperor Peter Jaid the foundation, stone the Cathedral of St, Peter and St. Paul and of. a fort Which Fecelved "his own name, Peterburgh, The ity" was built on marshy, ground. with its buildings on piles, and severe Measures were taken botlr by Peter and the Empress Ellzateth. to ensure that it was Success. Thousands of people from all parts of Russia were forced (0 fo to the city and take part in its building, while experts from, bread were brought into attend, Planning and fo the architecture of many Df ils buildings. Tt remained for Alexander add. the principal. embellishments. to what his ancestors. had "begun. almost. a hundred years before, while succeeding. sovereigns contributed their mite to increasing its beauty. It used to be said that Moscow was the heart of Russia but St. Petersburg. was its head. That remained true up to the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.