DESPERATE EFFORT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 147, 3 April 1941, Page 5

DESPERATE EFFORT

TO AVOID YUGOSLAVIAN WAR

IL DUCE TRIES TO SAVE ARMY.

UNTENABLE POSITION

(United Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 12,20 p.m.) LONDON, April 2,;

A desperate* attempt to prevent war between Germany and Yugoslavia' is being made by Mussolini in order to save his 350,000 ti'oops in Albania, says the Belgrade correspondent of <4 Tho Daily Mail.” v lt- is- reported that General Cavalloro (the Italian commander in Albania) told II Duce that. the.,position of the Italians would bn untenable in the event of a Yugoslavian attack, ' -

The correspondent adds that the Croats favour " a-' compromise. Af“ Germany accepts it would bo a sign that she is not prepared at the moment to face the hazards of* a. Balkans “blitz.” Such a compromise, however, would confuse the Axis plans for a spring offensive and he a serious blow to German prestige. A Belgrade report says SerbiaipCroat unity has been completed after negotiations.

The Berlin radio says relations with Yugoslavia, have been worse in the past 24 hours. Yugoslav gendarmes are forcing German women to kiss Yugoslav medals, those who refuse, being beaten. Ten deaths are reported inußosar, a Yugoslav village, as the result of aix anti-German demonstration.

Serbian school children in another village boat up theiy Gorman comrades. It is reported from Sofia that Bulgarian students driven out of Yugoslavia demonstrated before the-Royal Palace, demanding liberation of Thrace and Macedonia, slionting “long live the Fuhrer.” :. • A

An eight-minute alert was .sounded at Skolpje this morning when three foreign planes reconnoitred at a great height over the." town. ' * >, ;