PANIC SWEEPING HITLERS BALKANS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 63, 15 March 1944, Page 5

PANIC SWEEPING HITLERS BALKANS

RUMANIA'S PLIGHT

Latest Developments On

Diplomatic Front

N.Z. Press Association—Copyright Rec. noon. LONDON, Mar. 14. As the Russian armies roll on towards Rumania, panic is reported to be sweeping Hitler's Balkan satellites. The latest developments are: (1) A reported Rumanian offer to sell out by returning the border provinces of Bessarabia and Bukovina to Russia if the Russians will help them to recover Transvlvania from Hungary. (2) Recall" of all Bulgarian diplomats for urgent consultation in Sofia as a follow-up to pcace feelers put out to Britain and America recently.

Tension on the Transylvanian border between Hungary and Rumania is growing every day with frontier incidents mounting. Reports from Turkey say that probably 100,000 troops are massed on either side. Hungary's feudal and despotic Government, like its counterpart in Rumania, is finding increasing difficulty in keeping its own people under control. Strikes have broken out in both countries—dockers and seamen have brought the Rumanian Black Sea ports to a standstill, and strikes occur daily in Budapest. Rumanians Nothing to Fight For The Daily Mail Ankara correspondent reports that Rumanian diplomats in Turkey say that not only has their country nothing left to fight for, but for the first time the basis for a real peace has been laid. The Press Association diplomatic correspond ;nt says that Prince Stirbey was unquestionably the bearer of one of many peace feelers which have poured out of Rumania in the last few weeks. It is important to note that he is not a member of Antonescu's Government. His journey to Cairo must, therefore, be regarded as unofficial. Barrier of Germany There is no question about the desire of a vast majority of Rumanians to get out of the war. The barrier is the powerful German hold over the country. This hold is probably stronger in Rumania than in any other Balkan State, owing to the existence of the oilfields which Hitler is likely to take desperate measures to retain.

The Istanbul correspondent of the Daily Telegraph says that Rumanian generals are said to have held a hastily convened meeting, at which they decided to ask Antonescu to order the immediate withdrawal of all Rumanian troops from the Russian front and to prepare to defend the homeland. The generals urged the setting up of a defence zone along the line of the River Pruth to cover the Rumanian oilfields.

Although Antonescu has forbidden evacuations, It is reported that many inhabitants of Bessarabia, the province nearest to the Russian advance, are already in flight.

" Unconditional Surrender" Talk The Rumanian peace envoy, Prince Stirbey, went to Cairo from Ankara yesterday with a special pass enabling him to enter Allied territory, thus indicating that his mission is receiving the serious attention of the British authorities, savs an earlier message. The Ankara correspondent of the New York Times says the authorised Rumanian emissaries held a conference at Ankara on Saturday with the Soviet delegates. As a result, the Rumanian Government may be succeeded by a transition Cabinet to prepare the way for a democratic Government. The Rumanian emissaries said after the conference that the Russian bear was very hungry and wanted too big a bite. In other words, the Soviet would not accept less than unconditional surrender. It cannot be ascertained what price for peace the Rumanians are offering beside returning Bessarabia and Bukovina to Russia.