Thursday, August 14, 1930

Narva, Estonia:  Four Russian warplanes cross into Estonian airspace near here. They are fired upon by Estonian border guards with rifles and machine guns.The planes return fire before returning to Russian airspace. Estonia claims one of the aircraft was hit and went down in Russian territory. Observers believe the incursion is Russia’s expression of disapproval for Latvia’s warm welcome of Polish President Ignacy Moscicki, who visited earlier this week. Estonia files a vigorous protest with Russia’s minister at Reval.  

Berlin:  President Paul von Hindenburg issues a letter to the appellate court hearing his defamation lawsuit against Joseph Goebbels, saying he now believes Goebbels meant no insult and would withdraw his lawsuit if he could.  In December, Goebbels published the article, “Is Hindenburg Still Alive?”, in which he accused Hindenburg of not voting against the Young Plan because “he always does what his Jewish and Marxist advisers tell him to do.”  Hindenburg filed suit two days later (see Dec. 31, 1929).  Now, Hindenburg’s letter says, “I should withdraw my complaint if it were legally possible.  Inasmuch as it is not, I declare that I personally regard the incident as closed and have no further interest in punishment of Herr Goebbels.”