GERMAN PUSH THROUGH BULGARIA

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 13234, 9 January 1941, Page 5

GERMAN PUSH THROUGH BULGARIA

CONFLICTING REPORTS OPPOSITION FROM TURKEY AND RUSSIA HEAVY FLOODS WOULD PREVENT LARGE SCALE London, Jan. 7. According to news reaching the Bulgarian frontier, bitter fighting has broken out between rival factions of the Iron Guard in Rumania, many of whom have been killed. Rumania has been cut off by telephone for the last three days, but stories of shooting, sabotage and terror are trickling across the frozen Danube from Giurgiu. Moderate Iron Guardists who, under Horia Sima, support General Antonescu’s Government, are apparently ranged against the extreme Nationalist ele„ments, claiming to represcent the real doctrines of Codreanu, the assassinated Iron Guard leader. “The Times” Belgrade correspondent says reports multiply that the Antonescu Government is rapidly losing ground owing to popular discontent against German domination, the increased cost of living and the arrests of supposed Communists. German troops are stated,to have clashed with Rumanians in Moldavia. A message from Sofia says the Bulgarian Premier, Professor Filotf, has returned from Vienna. He did not comment on reports of German troop concentrations on the Danube opposite Bulgaria. The Government spokesman declared: “We have no knowledge of any basis for these rumours.”