GERMANY’S MOVES IN BALKANS

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23262, 24 February 1941, Page 7

GERMANY’S MOVES IN BALKANS

MARCH ACROSS DANUBE REPORTED

“Bulgaria’s Last Few Days Of Independence”

(VKITED PRESS ABSOCTATIOK—COPYRIGHT.) (Received February 23, 9 p.m.) LONDON, February 23. There are many indications that a concerted movement of German troops into Bulgaria may take place in the near future. The Sofia correspondent of “The Times” says (according to a message sent from London on Friday) that Bulgaria is living nervously through her last few days of independence. The Germans are expected at any moment. In the last few days they have thrown several pontoon bridges across the Danube and lifted them again, obviously carrying out exercises. Germans have openly occupied almost all the villas and country houses round Sofia, in which there are many German military, cars driven by youths in mufti which, everybody knows, will soon be changed for uniform. _ ' The newspapers are attempting to calm the pubf. lie, declaring that the passage of German troops will not involve Bulgaria in war. This at least seems to be the J Government’s hope.. The Sofia correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” states that General List has arrived from Rumania to direct operations. General List, he says, is regarded as a blitzkrieg expert, and is notorious for ruthless methods. He has been in command in Rumania for a month. The German General Staff has taken over a sixstorey building within a stone’s throw of the British Legation. The correspondent adds that extraordinary scenes occurred in the Bulgarian Parliament, illustrating nervousness and mistrust of the Government,* when many Deputies accused the Government of not informing the people of developments when it was generally known that the Germans had prepared pontoons on the '•Danube.

Iphether thr- German inarch ii.to Bulgaria has actually openly begun or th«-prOCess of infiltration is being in* taftlflw in preparation for it, is not -.yet able, to be stated, says the "Daily Express." The newspaper says that messages picked up by its radio station at 2 a.m. oh Friday indi-cated-that large German forces had been crossing the Danube into Bulgaria for 36 hours and movements were continuing. The <'Daily Mail" says that Herr Hitmarch into Bulgaria has begun jss\' Hi if not officially, -' G&wian troops, r according to a report from Belgrade/have been crossing the Danube since noon on Friday tff pontoon bridges over the river at 17. points. They are now reported to be concentrating on the Bulgarian side of the river. Gtrman troops are reported to have ' patted through Sofia during the night loJake up positions in the Struma, valley On the vital road to Salonika. Ay'<sfiecial correspondent ■of • i the •"DiflyjMair says this may account for the fact-,that the Bulgarian authorities refused permission to the British Minister (Mr G. W. Rendel) to travel, by that road when he wanted to visit the Greek frontier. ; German motorised- equipment has filled all garages in Bucharest and has overflowed, into streets and squares, uniformed men are busy adjusting Motors, loading lorries, and filling Prtro] tanks. Mechanics are estab-j jisneqsin workshops in the streets, giving f-equipment a final overhaul.! , &tre»a)s of loaded .lorries have moved I off t towards the Danube. | f An .unconfirmed report states that

Bulgaria has called 1 up an additional 100,000 troops. -A Free French agency report states that 30(1 Germans have arrived in Sofia, and have established themselves In hotels. They are. described as' carpenters, mechanics, and electricians, and each morning they ore, collected in cars sent by the Qerman Legation. In an endeavour to prevent Bulgaria being plundered in the way the Nazis plundered France and Rumania, the authorities have introduced - a strict rationing system. There, is no cessation, of the daily crop of r rumours, says a British Official Wireless message, by' giving currency to which the Germans are attempting to maintain nervods tension in the Balkan countries. Without directly threatening either country, the rumours appear directed‘towards arousing fears. in ; Jugoslavia and Greece. They continue to forecast the early passage of troops through Bulgaria, in preparation for which a German' force is massed on the Rumanian side of the Danube. -A drastic curtailment of railway services in Bulgaria - gives colour to the' reports of impending troop movements. In the meantime, the reaffirmation of the mutual loyalty between Turkey and Greece is interpreted in London as a measure of the determination of these countries’to spare jao .effort -to prevent a spread of hostilities in the Balkans.

Britain, for her part, is no less anxious that there shall be no further disturbances tof the Balkan peace and she is determined, In complete! loyalty to her engagements, to give the. fullest assistance in resisting aggression’in the region, in which Rumania has already provided an lesson to the world of the folly of trusting German bssur-' ances.

S[AZI INVASION : PLANS 1&RSION GIVEN IN i\ BERLIN Ai , LONDON, February 21. «i» j latest ver sion of Herr Hitler's P»fltfor defeating Britain is summed »Jzi y J" an articl e published by ' jF»U' , official German news agency. UWtar the heading, "Berlin's Strater the article says the view is «M«»sed in Berlin that an intensive u-OMrt campaign, in co-operation with wrttce craft, can effect a deadly Wottfcde of the British Isles. Great •wwsses are expected in Berlin from jjtt ittack on armament industries and conaaunications in Britain. An. attempt will also be made by says the article, to find a JfMfW military solution for the MediJ«mean problem, in order to enable i»er»bny to take advantage of every Wttunity for a direct attack on BriT > m l L The articl e adds that the possiTOJS of invasion are. so manifold «JM ft would be difficult for the BritbJfr se e through feint attacks. %,-Ti e art 'de concludes that Germany -wiJl avoid the mistake made by Genvon Ludendorff in the last war -■ °r using up his reserves in widely separated theatres of war, which thus Prevented him from forcing a deci- ' «oa m the west. " Alff SENT TO SANTANDEK ■•J German troops and v british food fc . 1 ' '," (B&IT18B OFFICIAL WIBELEBS.) '-' _ LONDON, February 22. " "' n^r e Madrid correspondent of the , .united Press of America states that " troops marched into Spain yesterday, xhey are said to consist of We small detachments from the Gers »nan army of occupation in France. - , «fcTt other Madrid message states that /iS 8 " detachments of German troops i;*S™*ed Spain after the Spanish Fitfeign .V.gafeter (Senor Suner) ha«.'ae«fcptetf * ',- f 2*fn}? n offer to assist in the .reconof Santander, where extensive v V v W a ,ie was caused "by a hutricanfe. '. ?JsSS>P from Britain for Santander is by the diversion:-? from f,4S?altar of two ships carrying grain, r Hjss% British Official Wireles* message. ,ki,3PJ?Stency message states that one ship£'•sß?* f° nsisls of 6000 ton of wheat and S&ftEiT l ** of barley, and the other'/pf o£ maize and 4200 bags of

SOVIET INDUSTRY f ' FIFTEEN-YEAR PLAN PROPOSED COMMISSARS ASKED FOR BETTER WORK (Received February 23, 9 p.m.) - MOSCOW, February 22., The Central Committee of the Communist Party has .instructed the State Planning Commission to elaborate a 15-year general economic plan aimed at Outstripping and leading the capitalist States in per capita production of pig iron, steel, fuel, electric power, machinery and other basic products as well as articles of consumption, - • • Among full members dismissed fiom the committee is Pauline Zhemchuzina, the wife of M. Molotov, the Soviet Prime Minister. The Communist Party conference also removed M. Litvinov, the form** Commissar for Foreign Affairs, from the Central Committee for securing the fulfilment of his obligations as 8 elefned the new Russian Ambassador to Berlin W- Dekanosov) to the committee, with M Maisky, Ambassador to Britain, as a reserve member. ~ „ ntin The confepenta warned M. Kaganovich, Commissar for the Aviation Industry, that if he does not improve his work, he will be removed from the Central Committee. . It also warned the commissars for military supplies, merchant marine, Chemical, 'fishing and electrical mdustr Newcomers to the committee include M. Kuusinen, the Soviet’s puppet in the Finnish war.. Germans Claim Slnking-A Berlin communique says that German naval forces sank the armed. British merchantman Canadian Cruiser m the Irtfllan Ocean. ■, The, German communique says the ship was disguised Under the American flag and had American symbols' painted on her sides.— London. February 22. . US. War Production—The secretary of the Trades Union Congress (Sir Walter Citrine), in an interview on his arrival at Lisbon, by clipper, said that American production added to the British would undoubtedly turn the Scale,.but it cquld npt be uifull swing until September. The pig'Labtour movements ‘had promisetv their closest cooperation.—London, February 21.